Written by DragonWriter17Directed by DragonWriter17 

Produced by DragonWriter17 and CN WintersEdited by CN Winters

Sound by CSRArt Direction by CN Winters

Artists: Emily and CN Winters  

 Fade In:Ext.Rundown Building – Night

Katherine crept along the rear of the building, a small pack on her back. She paused and looked over her shoulder. She nervously scanned the area beside and ahead of her. She squatted and tried to calm her breathing. After a moment, she stood and continued moving.

Katherine finally approached an alcove near the rear entrance to the building. With her back against the wall, she inched her way to the opening.

"Jo?" Katherine whispered.

"Katie?" Jocasta called from the alcove.

"Yeah," Katherine said, slipping quietly into the darkened space.

"Oh, thank, god," Jocasta said, hugging the blonde slayer quickly. "I was so worried."

"Slayer, remember?" Katherine said with a weak smile.

"Did you get it?" Jocasta asked anxiously.

"Yeah," Katherine replied.

Katherine slid the backpack off her shoulders. She opened the pack and pulled out an object enclosed in several tattered cloths. She gently unwrapped the layers of fabric. Inside them lay a fist-sized purple crystal with multiple jagged facets. She handed the crystal to Jocasta.

A smile of relief appeared on Jocasta’s face as she took the crystal into her hands. She touched the crystal with the tips of her fingers as if it were precious. Then she looked up at Katherine. Her smile fell away.

Katherine was shaking her head and backing away. "I’m sorry," she said in a choked voice.

"Katie, what’s wrong?" Jocasta asked, concerned.

Katherine flattened herself against the inside wall of the alcove. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she continued to shake her head.

Suddenly, Jocasta heard the thunder of soldier boots on the pavement and the clanking of weapons being carried. She turned toward the sounds.

"Jocasta Rosenberg!" a male voice boomed. "We have you surrounded. Do not attempt escape."

Jocasta snapped her eyes back to Katherine. A look of betrayal and then anger passed over her face. She tore her gaze from Katherine.

The male voice boomed once again. "Surrender now, witch, and you will not be harmed."

Jocasta snorted derisively as she tucked the crystal into her pocket. "Yeah, right," Jocasta said. "Till you pump me full of drugs and throw me into prison with the rest of the Coven."

Jocasta started looking for a way out of the alcove. She glanced once to each side, trying to determine which path offered the best hope of escape.

"Jo, please," Katherine begged, "don’t—"

"Don’t you even speak to me!" Jocasta threatened, pointing her finger at Katherine.

Jocasta took one more quick look out and then bolted from the alcove.

"No! Don’t run!" Katherine screamed, reaching out too late to stop Jocasta from dashing away.

Katherine hit the ground the second she heard the first spray of bullets blast into the wall of the building. She threw her arms protectively over her head.

When the gunshots ended, Katherine crawled to her feet and stumbled out of the alcove. She forced herself to walk the short distance away.

Jocasta lay dead on the pavement. She was on her back, but slightly twisted, courtesy of the violent force of the bullets that had claimed her. She was covered in blood, yet her eyes remained open, frozen in place, lifeless, unseeing.

Katherine fell to her knees, crying. "Noooo!" she screamed in anguish.

Cut to:Int.Katherine’s Quarters – Night

Katherine shot up from her couch, still screaming and sobbing. She struggled to regain her breath. Tears shone on her cheeks, and a fine sheen of sweat covered her face and upper body.

After a moment, Katherine raised a trembling hand to her forehead and pushed her damp hair out of her face. Then she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

As the last shudder of a sob left her, Katherine glanced at the clock. Her eyes grew wide when she realized she was late.

"Oh, crap!" Katherine said, jumping to her feet.

She grabbed her long coat and ran from the room.

Cut to:Int.Assault Transport – Cockpit – Night

Antonia scanned the readings on her flight display, then checked her coordinates.

"Livia, we’re almost there," Antonia spoke into the microphone of her headset. "Renegade lair now in visual range."

"Roger that," Livia’s voice replied in Antonia’s earpiece.

"Switching to silent flight," Antonia said, as she reached over and flipped a switch on her console.

Cut to:Int.Assault Transport – Troop Bay – Same Time

As the roar of the transport’s turbines dwindled to a mere whisper, Livia grinned widely. Then she turned to Katherine and Mira, who sat beside her.

"I love it when she does that!" Livia exclaimed.

"I know," Mira said, adjusting the glove of her seraphim suit. "That new sound-cancellation device is awesome!"

"Yeah," Katherine agreed blankly.

Livia stood and moved to face the rows of slayers awaiting her commands.

"Okay, girls, listen up!" Livia said, drawing their attention. "It’s a standard circle-and-storm. We want the targets alive, though, so no killing, unless you hear otherwise from me. Katherine and Mira are with me. The rest of you have your team assignments. As soon as we’re on the ground, take your positions. When you hear the signal, go for it. Any questions?"

A young slayer at the end of one row raised her hand.

"Yes?" Livia said.

"What’s the signal?" the slayer asked.

"Boom," Livia said, smiling.

Cut to:Ext.

Abandoned Factory – Moments Later

Antonia set the assault transport down a few hundred yards from the facility.

When the external hatch opened, the slayers slipped into the darkness and crept toward the factory.

When they reached the main entrance, Livia motioned to her team leaders to take their positions. The three teams fanned out and surrounded the back and sides of the building, leaving Livia, Katherine, and Mira crouched behind some brush near the front.

Livia waited a moment, looked around, then glanced at her watch. After another moment of waiting, Livia turned to Mira and Katherine.

"Ready?" Livia asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Mira said with wicked anticipation.

Katherine didn’t answer; in fact, she showed no sign of having heard Livia at all. She just stared off into space.

"Katie!" Livia said, thumping Katherine on the arm.

Katherine was startled and fell out of her crouch, right onto her backside.

Livia raised her eyebrow at Katherine in silent accusation.

"Sorry," Katherine mumbled, dipping her head in embarrassment. She quickly resumed her crouched position.

Livia rolled her eyes then looked at her watch once more. "Here we go," she said, standing.

Mira and Katherine joined her. Livia nodded at Mira, who moved to the point position as the three slayers stalked towards the main entrance.

When they reached the huge doors, Mira fired up the new missile launcher in the right arm of her seraphim suit. Within seconds, a barrage of mini-missiles blew the entrance to pieces. Three smaller explosions from the back and sides of the building quickly followed.

When the smoke cleared, Livia, Katherine, and Mira entered the gaping hole that used to be the main entrance.

Cut to:Int.Abandoned Factory – Moments Later

Livia, Katherine, and Mira ducked and weaved through the factory, dodging equipment and boxes, checking an area and clearing it before moving on to the next. Finally, the trio made their way to the middle of the facility.

When Livia and the other three teams converged on the factory’s command center, they found…absolutely nothing.

The High Command fugitives were nowhere to be seen. It was clear that the abandoned offices had been used recently, but the renegades had apparently left long before Livia and her slayers had arrived.

"Damn!" Livia shouted, looking around in disgust.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Conference Room – Later That Night

Giles sat at the head of the table. To his right sat Jocasta, Antonia, and Lex. To his left were Livia, James, and Katherine. Livia paced behind her chair.

"The place was completely deserted, you say?" Giles asked Livia.

"Yes, and had been for hours, looked like," Livia said.

"Which means we’re back at square one in terms of finding the renegades," Antonia said.

"We’ll just have to find new leads and follow them," Jocasta said with forced enthusiasm.

Cut to:Int.Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time

"Do we have any idea where they might be?" Katherine’s image on a computer screen asked.

The image of Giles simply shrugged in response.

Sean Rayne leaned forward in his chair towards the screen.

"Closer than you think," he said, smiling.

 

Fade Out

End of Teaser

Guest Starring: Lindsay Wagner as Velika Petrova, Bonnie Hunt as Veronica Wyndham-Price, Emma Caulfield as Anya, Iyari Lymon as

Mira,Harris Yulin as Morgan Travers, Eriq La Salle as Dr. McClelland,

Marc Blucas as Captain Trenton "Trent" Darby,Nicole Kidman as Miss Dimmons, Andrea Parker as Eris Pantelles

 

  Fade In:Int.Watchers Council – Conference Room – Resume

"Even if we do find ’em, how the hell are we gonna keep ’em from knowin’ when we’re gonna attack?" Livia asked. "I mean, do ya think it’s a coincidence that they just happened to pack up and leave a few hours before we were set to arrive?"

"Are you suggesting that that they had prior knowledge of the raid?" Giles asked.

"Yes," Livia said firmly. "This was deliberate. They knew we were comin’."

"But how?" Katherine asked, looking around the circle.

"Well, we know they’ve got help from the inside. We just don’t know who," Jocasta said. "I mean, somebody had to arrange for Tyrell’s transfer."

"Yeah, but we covered our tracks on this one," Livia said. "Nobody knew about the raid but us. I didn’t even tell my slayers until we were in flight."

"It could be a worm," Jocasta suggested. "You know, some kind of spy-ware program wriggling around in the network?"

"Or a bug," Lex added. "In our offices, in our labs, maybe even in the security system itself. They could be using our own cameras and microphones to monitor us."

"They’re like Big Brother, watching us," James said melodramatically.

Everyone froze, entranced.

"Secret eyes, spying, watching, observing everything we do…"

Everyone remained still, moving only their eyes.

"Secret ears, listening, recording, hearing every word we speak…"

Everyone swallowed at the same time.

"In fact, they could be watching us at this very moment!" James exclaimed.

Suddenly paranoid, everyone glanced around the room, looking at the various security cameras.

Cut to:Int.Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time

On Rayne’s screen, the paranoia continued to play out.

Rayne laughed, "Oh, this is too rich."

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Conference Room – Same Time

"Oh, for god’s sake," Giles chided, breaking the tension. "We are being completely ridiculous! I seriously doubt that we are being watched right now."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled nervously.

"However," Giles added, "we shouldn’t overlook the possibility that security has been breached in some way." Giles turned to James. "James, I’d like you to initiate a thorough check of the network, particularly communications and internal surveillance. Jo, you can assist on that once we’re past the magic demonstration tomorrow."

James and Jocasta both nodded.

Giles turned back to the group and continued: "We must also remain cognizant of the fact that Tyrell’s supporters are still very much among us, some we know and some we may not know."

"Which means we should pay attention to the people around us," Jocasta added, "and see if we notice anyone unusually interested in our activities."

"And we should be very careful about what we say when we are around others who are outside this group," Giles said.

"Got it. We keep our eyes peeled, our ears open, and our mouths shut," Lex stated firmly.

"Well…ummm…yes," Giles said, slightly deflated by Lex’s succinct summarization.

The others nodded in agreement.

"We’ll meet again later, perhaps tomorrow," Giles said, "once Jo and I have had a chance to review your reports. In the meantime, you may return to your regular duties. This meeting is adjourned."

Everyone left except for Jocasta and Katherine. Jocasta looked at Katherine once, then retreated to her office. Katherine dropped her gaze to her feet.

After a moment, Katherine looked up at Jocasta’s office. Taking a deep breath, she headed that way and slipped in the doorway.

"I…ummm…I just wanted to see if you n-n-needed me," Katherine said, "you know, to stay and…ummm…help prepare for the magic demo later?"

"No, I don’t," Jocasta said, more coldly than she intended.

"Oh," Katherine said, clearly hurt.

"Not right now, I mean," Jocasta amended. "I’m just too tired," she admitted.

"Yeah, me too," Katherine said. "I haven’t…" She paused, looking at her feet again. "I haven’t been sleeping very well lately. You know, since—"

"Yeah," Jocasta said, cutting her off.

Cut to:Int.Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time

On Rayne’s screen, Jocasta and Katherine stood in awkward silence.

Rayne zoomed his view on Katherine. As he touched Katherine’s image, his face twisted into an expression of pure hate.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Katherine’s Quarters – Later That Night

Katherine dragged into her quarters, her shoulders slumped in utter defeat and depression. She sighed, took off her coat, and laid it across the back of the couch.

She trudged into the kitchenette and opened the refrigerator.

Cut to:Int.Jocasta’s Apartment – Same Time

Jocasta looked at the meager offerings in her refrigerator. She sighed and shut the door.

She walked into the living room and looked around sadly. She went to her plants and gently trailed her fingers along the synthetic leaves. Then she dropped her hand and entered the bedroom.

She went to her dresser and started to open the top drawer. She stopped, her eyes drawn to the digi-frame sitting on top. She picked up the digi-frame and activated it.

A still image of a grinning Katherine at the gazebo in the park appeared on the screen inside the digi-frame. Jocasta touched the frame, and a new image of the blonde slayer took the place of the other. She touched the frame again, and this time an image of the two of them appeared. They were sitting on a bench, close together, smiling happily.

Jocasta frowned, deactivated the digi-frame, and set it back on the dresser. She opened the top drawer and pulled out her pajamas. Then she headed for the bathroom.

Cut to:Int.Katherine’s Quarters – Later

Katherine emerged from the bathroom, now dressed for bed. She turned off all the lights except for the lamp on her nightstand. She sat on the edge of her bed. She picked up her alarm clock, set it, and put it back. She opened the drawer to the nightstand and began rummaging around in it, clearly looking for something. Suddenly, she froze in place.

Slowly, Katherine pulled out a slightly bent, unframed photograph. It was Trent, in his military garb, standing in front of Lunarticks on the International Space Station. He was pointing at the bar’s sign while wearing a goofy smile. She touched the face in the photo and frowned. She crammed the photo back into the drawer and shut it tightly.

Then she turned off the light and climbed into bed. She lay there for a few moments then closed her eyes.

Cut to:Ext.The Morgue Examination Room – Night

Katherine stood quietly outside the double doors of the morgue. She closed her eyes and hung her head.

"I’m very sorry for your loss," the attendant’s voice replayed in her head. "The…ummm…body is already laid out for you. Take your time."

Katherine opened her eyes and drew a deep breath. Then she went through the double doors.

Cut to:Int.The Morgue Examination Room – Same Time

Katherine entered the long narrow room, which was filled with two rows of tables. The table at the far end was covered with a sheet. She walked slowly towards it.

When she arrived at the table, she stopped and stood at its side. With a trembling hand, she reached for the corner of the sheet, then paused and pulled back. She made a fist and shook her head, then reached for the sheet once again. She peeled the sheet back.

Captain Trenton Darby’s body lay cold and still upon the metal table, his skin pale and clammy. A small gunshot wound marked his right temple.

"Oh, god… Trent," Katherine whispered in a strained voice, "I’m so sorry…"

Katherine doubled over as the sobs hit her. She dropped her head to her forearm and rested on the edge of the table as she cried.

"Sorry won’t cut it," Katherine heard a voice say right next to her head.

Katherine straightened in a flash, her eyes locked in terror at the sight of her dead ex-fiancé staring at her. She yelped and backed into the table behind her as he carefully got up from his slab.

"No, nothing but payback will do, now," Darby said matter-of-factly before growling and grabbing for Katherine’s arms.

Katherine screamed and avoided Darby’s grasp. She turned to run, but Darby tackled her from behind, and she went sprawling facedown to the floor, with him on top of her. She tried uselessly to fight him off as he easily flipped her onto her back and straddled her. He pinned her arms to the floor.

Darby leaned down and grinned maniacally, tilting his head from side to side. Katherine looked up in horror. A gaping fist-sized hole caked with blood rested where most of his left ear used to be. Darby suddenly stopped grinning. He released her arms and reached for Katherine’s neck. He wrapped his hands around her throat and began to squeeze.

Katherine pulled at Darby’s fingers, trying to pry them from her neck. It was no use. She punched at his arms and head. Nothing worked. The images of the room at the edges of her vision began fading; all she could see was Darby’s face. The only sounds were those of her own strangulation…and a ringing bell.

Cut to:Int.Katherine’s Quarters – The Next Morning

As her alarm went off, Katherine jolted awake in her bed, coughing and gasping for air. She reached for her throat, as if trying to remove cold hands that were no longer there.

After a few moments of frantic breathing, Katherine finally realized where she was and turned off her alarm. She dropped her head into her hands and sighed. Then she lifted her face and, with a weary moan, trudged towards the bathroom.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Slayer Training Room – Later That Morning

In a sudden move, Livia flipped Katherine onto the mat. The blonde slayer hit the mat with a thud. Katherine moaned and didn’t get up. Livia put her hands on her hips and looked down at her vanquished opponent.

"What’s the matter with you?" Livia asked. "You’re fightin’ like a newbie."

"Sorry," Katherine said, getting up from the mat slowly. "I haven’t gotten a lot of rest lately."

"I noticed you zonin’ out last night. What’s the problem?" Livia asked.

"I don’t know," Katherine replied. "I just haven’t been sleeping well. I mean, I’m sleeping, but I don’t wake rested. It’s like when you dream all night and then you wake up tired?" Katherine frowned, then shrugged. "I don’t know what it is."

"You should go see Doc, he’ll get you fixed up," Livia suggested.

"Maybe I should," Katherine said, considering the suggestion.

"You ready to go again?" Livia asked, moving into fighting stance.

Katherine took a deep breath, then mirrored Livia’s stance.

"Ready," Katherine said.

Soon, Livia and Katherine were engaged in a flurry of punches and blocks, with Livia doing most of the punching. When Katherine did punch, Livia easily blocked her efforts.

"Yo, Katie...my dead mother hits harder than that!" Livia taunted with a grin.

Livia followed up her comment with a high kick aimed right at Katherine’s face, but Katherine stopped it and jerked Livia’s leg forward, sending Livia onto the mat on her back. Livia twisted out of Katherine’s grasp and then popped right back up. She went immediately on the offensive again.

"Come on, Blondie!" Livia said between punches, "You can’t win a fight if you’re always on the defensive!"

"I know!" Katherine said with irritation, before attempting another weak offensive.

Livia easily countered, and the two slayers ended up in a grappling contest, nearly nose to nose.

Katherine grimaced as Livia tightened her grip and increased her leverage until she started bending Katherine backwards. Katherine’s body began shaking from the strain. Katherine saw Livia grin.

Suddenly, it wasn’t Livia who was holding her; it was Darby. He grinned widely. "You can’t get away from me," he said menacingly.

Within a matter of seconds, Katherine’s eyes went from shock to disbelief to terror. Then they changed to something else entirely—something dangerous, something feral.

Katherine roared in rage. Then in a burst of sheer adrenaline, she pushed Livia back until their situations were reversed, with Livia being the one bent back. With another roar, she shoved Livia onto her back and wrapped her hands around Livia’s throat.

Katherine didn’t see Livia’s face; she saw only Darby’s.

As Katherine began to squeeze, Livia tried desperately to break Katherine’s hold. She saw the look of crazed fury in Katherine’s eyes. Livia’s own eyes started to close as she felt herself losing consciousness. She made one final effort, drawing on all her slayer strength, thrusting her arms between Katherine’s, forcing Katherine’s hands from her neck. Then she gave a quick uppercut to Katherine’s chin, sending her dazed to the mat.

Livia jumped up and put several feet of distance between herself and the blonde slayer. Katherine groaned, then sat up, slowly blinking her eyes.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Livia demanded, touching her bruised neck.

Katherine looked around them then up at Livia. A shaken and confused look was on her face. "I-I-I don’t know," she said, "I’m sorry. I—"

"Look, if you wanna go all-out, that’s fine," Livia said angrily, cutting her off. "Just warn me next time, okay?"

Katherine started to say something else, but Livia just stomped away.

"Go home, take a chill pill!" Livia said over her shoulder as she left the sparring area.

Katherine nervously ran her hand through her hair. Then she gingerly rubbed her sore jaw.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Jocasta’s Office – Day

Jocasta groaned at the number of emails waiting on her computer. She didn’t understand how she could get so many in just one day. She sighed and started isolating the most important messages. When she was about halfway through her emails, she heard a knock on her office door. She looked up to see Giles stepping inside.

"Giles, hey," Jocasta said in a weary voice.

"Jo, how are you?" Giles said.

"Tired," Jocasta responded. "I didn’t sleep very well last night."

"Yes, well, it was a short night for all of us," Giles agreed, taking a seat in the chair near Jocasta’s desk. "Is everything prepared for this afternoon?"

"Just about," Jocasta replied. "Katie is…ummm…coming by later to get ready."

Jocasta looked away, her brow furrowing.

"Things are…still tense between you two, then?" Giles asked gently.

"Ah, yeah," Jocasta affirmed ruefully.

"Jo, I sympathize with your situation, you know I do," Giles said. "But the demonstration this afternoon…i-i-it’s vital for our plan to reintegrate magic into Council operations. I need to know that you and Katie will not let your personal affairs interfere with your–"

"We won’t," Jocasta firmly insisted.

Giles looked at Jocasta intently, then smiled reassuringly.

Fade out

Fade in:

Int.Watchers Council – Computer Center – Day

James sat at his workstation, his fingers flying over the keys as he conducted the network check that Giles had requested. When his fingers stopped, the computer sounded a tone to indicate its task was finished.

"Level three sweep complete," James announced to Anyabot, who worked at another station nearby.

"And?" Anya prompted.

"Nothing," James replied.

"Guess there’s nothing to find," the synthetic said with a shrug.

James nodded absently, then narrowed his eyes as if thinking deeply. Suddenly, he grinned, and his fingers began flying across the keys once again.

"I know what to do," James said.

"What?" Anya asked.

James didn’t answer but continued concentrating on his new approach. Anya turned and peered at James curiously, then went back to her work.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Afternoon

A wooden stake floated in the air about three feet in front of Katherine. It was about chest-high and pointed away from her. Katherine’s face was locked in an expression of intense concentration. When her eyes narrowed, the stake shot across the lab and sank into a cork target.

The stake joined two others in the board, none of which had managed to hit the bull’s-eye. When she saw where the stake hit, Jocasta sighed in disappointment. Katherine dropped her gaze to her hands.

"Sorry," Katherine said meekly.

At Katherine’s reaction, Jocasta threw off her disappointed air and waved her hand in dismissal as she moved across the partially-glassed-in lab towards the cork board on the wall. "No, it’s okay," Jocasta said, pulling the three stakes from the target. "Y-Y-You hit the target, that’s the main thing. They’ll understand that practice will increase accuracy. Don’t worry about it."

"Okay," Katherine replied.

"Let’s move on to the barrier spell," Jocasta said, putting the stakes back on the table. "Hand me the orb."

Katherine reached for a baseball-sized glass orb that was blue and white. She picked it up and turned back towards Jocasta. As she went to pass it over, she saw her hand move in slow motion.

She watched in surprise as the object in her palm changed from the blue-and-white orb to a fist-sized purple crystal and back again in a series of flashes before finally settling on the image of the purple crystal.

She held her hand over Jocasta’s and started to place the crystal in her open palm. But then she looked up at the redhead. A bloody and bullet-ridden Jocasta stared back at her, angry accusation on her face.

Katherine gasped in horror and jerked her hand back, dropping the orb. Luckily, Jocasta lunged forward and caught the fragile object before it hit the floor.

"Katie!" Jocasta exclaimed. "You nearly dropped it! What’s the matter with you?"

"I’m…s-s-sorry…I-I-I…" Katherine stammered awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"Are you sure you’re up for this?" Jocasta asked. "Maybe we should reschedule."

"No!" Katherine insisted. "I-I-I’m okay, I’ll be fine for the demo, I promise. Let’s just do the barrier spell."

Jocasta looked at Katherine worriedly, then began preparations for their spell.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Later That Afternoon

As Jocasta arranged the set-up for the demonstration, Katherine stood out of the way, shifting nervously in place. She watched as the redhead carefully laid out all of their magical objects and ingredients in the order they would be used. When it seemed safe to do so, Katherine moved closer.

"So…ummm…I was wondering," Katherine said, "after the demo…do you think maybe we could…get together and talk…about things…you know, between us?"

Jocasta was distracted when she noticed Giles and Veronica Wyndam-Price arrive for the demonstration. She took a deep breath and turned back to Katherine.

"I can’t think about that right now, okay?" Jocasta said more shortly than she intended. "Let’s just focus on the demonstration." At that, Jocasta left Katherine and went to greet Giles.

Katherine hung her head sadly.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Later

A line of chairs was set up in front of the glass wall of the lab. At one end of the row sat Giles and Veronica. At the other end was Travers, who sat leaning back with his arms crossed tightly and his expression implacable. In the middle were the remaining members of the Council Sub-Committee that had been assigned to review Gray Sector’s progress in investigating the magic reintegration issue.

In the glassed-in area, Jocasta spoke calmly into her headset, which carried her voice to the group safely outside.

"One of the simplest and most useful spells is a light-making spell," Jocasta explained as she gathered the necessary items from the table before her. "I mean, what happens when a slayer finds herself without a flashlight in a completely darkened space? Let’s say, just as an example, that she pursued a vampire into a sewer tunnel."

Jocasta nodded at Katherine, who cut the lights. For a few seconds, Jocasta didn’t speak. The Sub-Committee members shifted nervously in their seats.

"What does she do?" Jocasta asked, her voice coming eerily out of the darkness. "Does she (a) proceed without any light, trusting her other senses to guide her?" Jocasta paused.

"No, that’s much too dangerous, even for a slayer," Jocasta answered.

"Well, does she (b) cut off pursuit until she can retrieve appropriate lighting?" Jocasta asked before pausing again.

"If she does that, she risks losing the vampire’s trail," Jocasta commented.

"Or does she (c)…do this! Lumen appare!"

The Sub-Committee members gasped in awe as the glassed-in area was suddenly lit up by a glowing cloud. Giles smiled as he watched the impressed committee members murmuring among themselves. All but Travers, of course, who simply glared in Giles’s direction.

Jocasta nodded at Katherine, who brought the lights back up. Then Jocasta broke the light spell, and the glowing cloud dispersed. Jocasta adjusted her headset and smiled at her audience.

"Now it’s one thing to be without light, but it’s quite another to be without a stake," Jocasta announced. "Let’s suppose that, in the midst of a fierce battle with a vampire, a slayer loses her stake. She’s stuck grappling with the vampire and is unable to retrieve her primary weapon."

"Now, one might think that she was up the proverbial creek," Jocasta said with a grin. "Unless she doesn’t need her hands to manipulate the stake."

"Slayer Allison?" Jocasta said, motioning Katherine to take her place and then stepping several feet away to the slayer’s left.

Katherine took a deep breath and began to concentrate. After a few seconds, one of the

three stakes on the table rose slowly into the air. Several of the Sub-Committee members leaned forward in their seats.

Sweat appeared on Katherine’s forehead, and she swallowed noticeably. Katherine cut her eyes to her left, hoping for a look of encouragement from Jocasta.

What she saw was dead Jocasta, covered in blood, glaring at her—seemingly accusing her, blaming her, hating her.

Katherine jumped in fright and backed away from Jocasta. The stake Katherine had been levitating suddenly went crazy, flying all over the room, ricocheting off the walls. Then it headed straight for Jocasta.

Fade Out

End of Act One

 

Fade In:Int.Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Resume

"Jo!" Katherine cried out.

She reached out in an effort to redirect the stake hurtling towards Jocasta, but the stake continued towards the redhead.

Jocasta ducked in time, though, and the stake embedded itself in the wall behind her.

"Oh my god, oh my god!" Katherine exclaimed, raising her hands to her mouth.

Outside the lab, the Sub-Committee members watched in shock, most of them having risen to their feet. Travers remained seated, smirking to himself.

Jocasta stood slowly. She looked at the stake jutting from the wall. Then she turned and looked at Katherine, a mixture of shock, fear, and disappointment on her face.

"Jo! Jo!" Giles called. "Are you all right?"

Jocasta pulled her eyes from Katherine to Giles, who was standing just outside the glass wall, looking very worried.

"I’m fine," Jocasta said. Then she turned to the Committee members. "I’m sorry for the…ummm…glitch there. Clearly, this is an area that needs some additional work."

With her last statement, Jocasta cut her eyes at Katherine, who dropped her head in shame.

"We do have one more demonstration," Jocasta said with a forced smile, "one that I-I-I think you’ll find—"

"I think we’ve seen enough," Travers said, rising to his feet.

Travers made a knowing glance in Giles’s direction, then turned without a word and exited the lab. The two Committee members who had been seated next to him immediately followed. The next two, who had been in the center of the row, looked nervously at Giles and then at the retreating Travers and then at each other, until they too went to follow Travers, leaving only Veronica to stand with the Council Chairman. Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead, trying to get his emotions under control.

Jocasta left the glassed-in area and joined Giles on the outside. Katherine quietly followed, but kept her distance.

"Giles, I’m sorry, we’ll—" Jocasta said in agonized voice.

Giles held up his hand to stop Jocasta’s words. "We’ll talk about this later," he said sternly. Then he put his glasses back on and left the room, with Veronica right on his heels.

As Jocasta watched Giles leave, tears filled her eyes. Then anger replaced sadness, and her faced hardened. She whipped around to face Katherine.

"What the hell just happened?" Jocasta demanded harshly. "Tell me!"

Katherine flinched at Jocasta’s words.

"I-I-I don’t know," she stammered, "I-I-I’m sorry, I—"

"That’s it!" Jocasta said, interrupting. "You’re off magic duty until you can get a hold of yourself!"

Jocasta stomped away, leaving a devastated Katherine behind.

Cut to:Int.Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time

Rayne looked at his computer screen once more, then chuckled. He leaned back in this chair and steepled his fingers, resting his index fingers against his lips. Then he grinned with malicious glee.

Cut to:Ext.Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Moments Later

Giles strode angrily away from the lab. Veronica had to work to keep up with the taller man’s pace.

"This isn’t good," Veronica said ominously.

"Well, thank you, Veronica, for stating the obvious," Giles replied in a very annoyed tone. Instantly regretful, he stopped in place. "I’m sorry," he said sincerely.

Veronica merely smiled, indicating her acceptance of his apology. "Travers will use this against you," she said.

"Yes, I’m sure he will," Giles answered.

"I suppose we’d better rally a defense then, shouldn’t we?" Veronica said with her characteristic smirk.

Giles smiled gratefully at his friend. Then the two of them headed back down the hallway, beginning their plans for damage control.

Cut to:Int.Katherine’s Quarters – Later That Day

Katherine slammed her door and fell back against it crying. After a few moments, she wiped her eyes, hugged herself tightly, then moved into her kitchen area. She pulled a cup from the rack on the counter, turned on the cold water in the sink, and held the cup under the stream of water until it was full.

As she turned off the tap, Katherine felt her sobs return. She dropped the cup and leaned over the sink, crying hard. Suddenly, she grabbed the cup and threw it against the wall. All of the remaining cups quickly followed as Katherine smashed each one in turn, screaming in frustration.

When her anger was spent, Katherine slipped to the floor, leaning against the cabinet and holding her head in her hands. Finally, she simply lay down on the floor and curled into a ball, weeping herself to sleep.

Cut to:Ext.A Cemetery – Night

Katherine walked alertly among the headstones. Then she stopped and listened. She pulled out a wooden stake, her only weapon. The night breeze gently blew her long blonde hair. After several seconds, she seemed to decide that she hadn’t heard anything. She put away her stake and resumed her patrol, heading for the mausoleums.

As Katherine got close to one of the larger tombs, two vampires jumped in front of her, surprising her. She didn’t take the time to wonder why she hadn’t been able to sense them; she just went into slayer mode.

The two vampires, one male and one female, double-teamed Katherine, attacking her simultaneously from both sides. Moving with slayer speed, Katherine blocked the succession of punches, one after the other, until she was able to kick the female vampire into the side of the mausoleum. As the female vampire slammed into the stone wall, Katherine turned her attention to the male vampire. She flashed through a series of moves: punch, punch, duck, up again, ouch, comeback, kick, he’s down, stake, dust, yeah!

Katherine’s grin of elation was short-lived as the female vampire rammed into her back, sending them both rolling away in a tangle of limbs. When they stopped tumbling, the vampire was on top of Katherine. The vampire hissed, curling her lips up to reveal her fangs. Katherine kicked the vampire off, sending her crashing against a headstone. Before the vampire could recover, Katherine leapt to her feet and plunged her stake directly into the vampire’s heart, dusting the creature instantly.

Katherine straightened up, breathing heavily. She brushed the vampire dust off her coat and smiled. Her smile disappeared when she heard rustling behind her. She turned around slowly. A gang of about ten vampires stood in a semicircle before her. She heard others running from behind the tomb to surround her.

There were way too many for a slayer to take on alone. Escape was the only option. When the circle of vampires surged forward to rush her, she ran for the mausoleum and leapt onto its roof. Then she vaulted over the line of vampires and ran for her life.

The vampires were right behind her as she fled through the cemetery. She ran down through rows of gravestones, then cut quickly to her left. If she went between the two tombs ahead of her, she could scale the tall fence and be on the street. As she passed between the two tombs, the vampire closest to her dove forward and tripped her up, sending her crashing into the wrought-iron fence.

The collision with the fence dazed Katherine, and by the time she recovered and got to her feet, she was surrounded once again. Katherine leaned against the iron rods, her eyes darting from side to side as the gang of vampires crept in and then attacked. She tried to fight, but there were just too many of them. They quickly overwhelmed her and rode her to the ground. They bound her hands securely behind her back, then fell away, except for two, who pulled the slayer to her feet and held her upper arms tightly in their grip.

Katherine watched as the group of vampires backed away and then parted to allow a female figure to enter. The woman glided seductively towards Katherine, coming to a stop a few yards in front of her. Katherine stared, open-mouthed, at the older woman before her.

"Miss Dimmons?" Katherine asked, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

"How’s my little precious?" Katherine’s former watcher answered sweetly in a British accent.

"I thought you were…they told me you were…" Katherine said haltingly.

"Dead?" Miss Dimmons supplied.

Katherine nodded.

"Well, they were half right," Miss Dimmons said, her face morphing into its demonic visage.

"Oh, god!" Katherine cried. "I’m so sorry! If I’d only gone with you that night, like I was supposed to, then—"

Miss Dimmons moved in and placed cool fingers on Katherine’s mouth. "Don’t be sorry, precious," she said to her former ward. "I’m not. This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me." Miss Dimmons reached up and stroked Katherine’s cheek. "That’s why I want to share it with you."

Katherine’s eyes widened in absolute terror, and she began to struggle. It didn’t do any good; the two vampires held her firmly.

Miss Dimmons moved around the vampires holding Katherine and came up behind the blonde slayer. She brushed Katherine’s long hair aside. She smiled and ran her fingers along the line of Katherine’s neck. Katherine jerked her head away, causing the vampire’s eyes to narrow in annoyance.

Miss Dimmons grabbed Katherine roughly by the hair and used it to immobilize her, baring her neck once again. The former watcher’s smile returned.

"Don’t fight it, precious," Miss Dimmons cooed in Katherine’s ear. "You’ll only make it hurt worse."

"No…no…" Katherine whimpered as Miss Dimmons eased closer to her target. When Miss Dimmons sank her fangs into Katherine’s neck, the slayer screamed like a lost soul.

Cut to:Int.Katherine’s Quarters – Night

Katherine woke up screaming. She flailed her arms, as if trying to fight off the vampires that had been holding her. When she realized her arms were free, her hand went immediately to her neck, feeling for the fang marks.

Slowly, Katherine seemed to realize that it had been only a dream. On trembling legs, she rose from the kitchen floor and leaned against the counter, breathing heavily. Then her tears began to fall once again.

Cut to:Int.Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time

Rayne lay perfectly still, with his eyes closed, fully reclined in his chair in the mobile base. Then his eyes popped open, and he grinned. As he raised his chair to its upright position, he began to chuckle sadistically.

He turned to his computer screen, which showed Katherine standing at her kitchen counter, crying. Rayne reached out and touched the image.

"Oh, don’t worry, precious," Rayne said, "it’ll be over soon."

Rayne began laughing again.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Computer Center – Later That Night

James was still glued to his workstation. His face looked tired, but his eyes were determined. He entered a command, watched the results scroll by, then repeated the process.

Anyabot stalked over to James.

"James, you’ve been at that computer all day," she chided. "You need to go home and sleep."

James didn’t acknowledge the android’s comment.

"You know how cranky you get when you don’t get enough sleep," Anya reminded her owner.

James continued to ignore her.

Anya rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I’m going to recharge, like a sensible person," she said pointedly as she left the room.

James gave no indication that he was even aware of anything else in the room other than what was on his screen. He leaned forward and touched his screen momentarily.

"Now we’re gettin’ somewhere," he said with a grin.

Fade out

Fade in:Ext.Alley Beside Abandoned Garage – Night

Livia, Katherine, and Mira crept silently along a narrow and filthy alley. The outside light on the building’s utility pole blinked on and off erratically. Mira reached up and placed her hand on Katherine’s shoulder. Katherine yelped and jumped several feet away, knocking over a metal trash can, sending a loud series of clangs ringing down the alley.

Livia stood with her hands on her hips. "Great, now we’ve practically announced that we’re coming. Did you guys flunk Stealthy 101 or something?"

"It wasn’t me!" Mira complained. "Katie’s the one who’s freakin’ out."

"Because you touched me!" Katherine said in her defense.

"I was trying to quietly get your attention to ask you a question," Mira said.

"What was so important that you had to ask her mid-sneak?" Livia asked.

"Well, I don’t remember now," Mira admitted, "but I’m sure it was very important."

"Okay, let’s just start over," Livia told her slayers. "No talking—or touching—till we get there. Hopefully, we haven’t scared all the vampires away yet. If the tip about this garage is true, we’re going to have our hands full."

Livia, Mira, and Katherine resumed their progress towards the abandoned garage, where their sources had said a nest of vampires had taken residence.

Cut to:Ext.Abandoned Garage – Moments Later

When the trio of slayers arrived at the garage, they climbed on top of the dumpster and looked through the garage’s broken-out window.

Inside were eight vampires and four victims. On the far side, two male victims were strung from the raised car rack and were being taunted and tortured by five of the vampires. In the middle of the garage, a female victim was on her back on the hood of a car, being fed upon by two of the vampires, one at her neck and the other from her arm. The fourth victim lay still upon a dirty mattress in a small room in the

corner, only her legs visible from the window. The last vampire was leaving the small room, tucking his shirt into his jeans and buckling his belt. He stopped and leaned against the doorway, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it.

Livia’s eyes narrowed in hatred. "We’re going in," she told her slayers.

"Yeah, let’s kill these bastards!" Mira agreed.

"M-M-Maybe we should wait for backup," Katherine said nervously.

"I’m ordering backup, but we’re not waiting," Livia said. "Those victims could die in the next few minutes, so we’re going, got it?"

Katherine nodded in affirmation of her commander’s order.

Livia adjusted her headset and spoke into the microphone. "Base, this is Livia. We are at the location. Vampire nest is confirmed. We need backup and medical on site immediately."

After ending her call to Base, Livia turned to her slayers. "Katie, you go in by the window and take the lone vampire, then hit the two at the car," Livia said. "Mira and I will go in the door by the car rack and start in on the crowd there. Clear?"

Mira and Katherine nodded in response. Then Livia and Mira leapt from the dumpster and made their way around the building. Katherine turned her eyes back to the lone vampire, who was still smoking. She took long deep breaths and waited. After a few moments, she heard Livia’s voice in her receiver, "Now!"

Katherine climbed through the broken-out window.

Cut to:Int.Abandoned Garage – Same Time

Katherine jumped from the window and landed in a crouch, right in front of the smoking vampire. He growled and attacked. Katherine was ready for him, and within seconds, she had staked him and moved on to the two by the car.

These two had seemed to hesitate in confusion, not

knowing which fight to join. When they saw Katherine moving towards them, they both turned to meet her. As Katherine engaged the two vampires, her face began to show panic. Still she did as she had been trained to do: kill vampires. In a series of blinding moves, she slipped behind them and dusted them both in a flash before they could even turn around.

Katherine looked for Livia and Mira. She found them struggling against their group of vampires, which had somehow grown from five to eight. Livia and Mira were backed against the far wall, trying to hold off the vampire mob, which was armed with items from the garage: a heavy chain, a tire iron, a rusty exhaust pipe, oversized tools, a piece of metal conduit. Both slayers were already bruised and bloodied.

"Where did they—?" Katherine said to herself, as if wondering where the other vampires had come from. Then she ran towards the crowd.

The vampires on the outer edge of the mob heard Katherine’s approach and turned to face her. Four of them left the group and moved cautiously in Katherine’s direction, growling and snarling. Katherine screeched to a halt, seemingly paralyzed by sheer terror.

In Katherine’s mind, she was no longer in the garage—she was in the cemetery of her nightmare, surrounded and outnumbered.

"Katie!" Livia called out. "Don’t just stand there! Do something!"

Livia finally dusted the vampire nearest her, then turned to take on the next one, when she heard Mira cry out in pain. When Livia looked in her direction, she saw Mira skewered on a long piece of conduit.

"Mira!" Livia cried.

The vampire jerked the metal conduit from Mira’s body, and she crumpled to the concrete floor. Taking advantage of her distraction, Livia’s opponent rushed her and rammed her into a shelf of tools and parts.

With her eyes frozen on the approaching vampires, Katherine slowly backed away, until she found herself pressed against the side of the car.

"No, no," Katherine whimpered, shaking her head, as the four vampires crept closer and closer. "No!" she screamed before bolting towards the window.

Katherine vaulted to the edge of the window and pulled herself up and out before the pursuing vampires could grab her.

"Katie!" Livia yelled when she saw Katherine running from the battle.

With Katherine gone and Mira down, Livia tightened her face in an expression of insane resolve. She roared and threw herself into the fray.

Cut to:Ext.Alley and Street Outside Abandoned Garage – Same Time

Katherine ran blindly down the alley as fast as she could. When she came out of the alley onto the street, she ran directly into Commander Wilma Jenkins, nearly sending them both to the ground. The tall black woman stood firm, though, and held up the shaking slayer.

"Katie! What is it? What’s going on?" Wilma asked.

"I-I-I was…they were after me, and I—" Katherine babbled incoherently. "You’ve got to get in there…now!" she finally said.

"Janet, Lian! Move in now!" Wilma commanded to her team leaders.

Janet and Lian and their fellow slayers burst into the garage.

"Are you okay?" Wilma asked Katherine.

Katherine nodded, but Wilma motioned the paramedics over anyway. When the paramedics arrived, Wilma left Katherine and entered the garage.

Cut to:Ext.Alley and Street Outside Abandoned Garage – Moments Later

The battle was over, and the victorious slayers emerged from the garage. Some of the slayers were helping the four victims as they stumbled out of the building. Soon after, the paramedics came out with Mira on a gurney. A beaten and bloodied Livia stayed alongside the gurney the whole way to the ambulance, holding Mira’s hand. Wilma was right behind her.

"Oh my god," Katherine exclaimed, moving towards the ambulance. "Is she okay?" she asked frantically as the paramedics lifted the gurney into the vehicle and shut the door.

Livia turned to Katherine, her eyes burning with fury. "No, she’s not okay, thanks to you," Livia said, backing Katherine away with her glare. She didn’t stop until she had backed Katherine into the side of the transport skimmer that had brought Wilma and her slayers to the scene.

"I’m s-s-sorry," Katherine stammered, tears coming down her face. "I-I-I don’t know w-w-what happened to me in there. I–"

"Turn around," Livia commanded.

"What?" Katherine asked, confused.

"I said, Turn around! " Livia repeated.

As the other slayers gathered nearby to watch, Katherine did as she was told and turned to face the side of the transport.

"Put your hands behind your back," Livia ordered.

"Oh, god," Katherine whispered, as if she had just realized what was about to happen.

Katherine hung her head and moved her hands behind her. Livia grabbed one of Katherine’s wrists and twisted her arm up painfully. Then she shoved Katherine against the vehicle. Katherine’s head snapped back as her face collided with the metal panel.

"Livia," Wilma warned, stepping towards her fellow commander. Livia glared back at Wilma until the black woman dropped her gaze. Then Livia turned back to Katherine.

"Katherine Allison," Livia said, as she used her free hand to pull a set of heavy-duty cuffs from her belt. "I am placing you under arrest for the court-martial offense of ‘Cowardice in Battle,’ as described in Article 99 of the Revised Code of Military Justice."

Livia snapped the cuff on the wrist she held, roughly yanked Katherine’s other arm in place, then cuffed that wrist as well. When she was done, she pulled Katherine away from the side of the transport and turned her around.

Livia stared at Katherine with barely-contained rage. She was breathing hard and clenching her fist. Katherine looked at Livia once, then averted her eyes, unable to endure the deserved accusation she saw there. Wilma and the other slayers held their breath and waited.

"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say…" Livia continued her recitation as she led Katherine away.

Wilma and the other slayers exhaled in relief.

Cut to:Ext.Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time

Rayne leaned against the door of his skimmer and watched Katherine’s arrest through a set of digital binoculars. When he saw Livia lead Katherine away, he lowered the binoculars.

His face was hard, and his eyes were filled with hate. "Take what’s mine," Rayne said, "I take what’s yours."

Then he grinned. "And I’m not even done taking."

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Slayer Command – Later That Night

Giles rushed into the office of Slayer Command and scanned the room until he saw Velika. The tall blonde was in a large work area, speaking with her assistant. Giles hurried to her location.

"I came as soon as I heard," Giles blurted breathlessly.

Velika dismissed her assistant with a nod and then faced Giles with her hands on her hips.

"Why, I’m fine, thank you for asking," Velika said sarcastically. "And you?"

"I’m so sorry, that was rather rude, wasn’t it?" Giles said abashedly.

"It’s okay," Velika said teasingly, removing her hands from her hips, "I’m just giving you a hard time—just like I used to." Velika sobered then said, "I assume you’re here about Katherine."

"Well, yes, and Mira as well," Giles replied. "How is she? Mira, I mean."

"Critical but stable," Velika responded. "Barring any complications, she should recover fully."

"And Katherine?" Giles asked.

"Unharmed, for the most part, and now in detention," Velika said.

"The report said that she had…ummm…run away in the middle of the battle, leaving Livia and Mira in danger. Is this true?"

"It appears so," Velika said, clenching her jaw, seemingly embarrassed and enraged that any of her slayers would have done such a thing. "I’ve spoken with Livia, who arrested her, and with Wilma, who witnessed Katherine’s flight."

"Have you interviewed Katherine yet?" Giles inquired.

"Yes, I did a preliminary interview, but that’s all I’ve had time for so far."

"I’d like to speak with Katherine," Giles said. "That is…if you don’t mind," he added quickly.

Velika narrowed her eyes. "This isn’t your jurisdiction," she said firmly. "Katherine is a Slayer and therefore comes under the authority of Slayer Command. You have no place here…Mr. Chairman."

"I’m well aware of the chain of command, Velika," Giles said. "I’m not asking as Council Chairman. I’m asking as her friend and yours."

Velika met Giles’s gaze then turned away to consider his request. After a moment, she turned back around and faced her former watcher.

"Very well," Velika said. When she saw Giles respond with a smile, she quickly continued. "The interview will be recorded and, if necessary, used as evidence. I will be personally present to observe, and I reserve the right to terminate the interview at any time. Is that clear?"

"Yes, perfectly," Giles answered. Then he took Velika’s hand and squeezed it. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"You’re welcome," Velika said with a smile. "I figure I owe you one."

"I’d like Jocasta Rosenberg there as well," Giles said.

Velika’s smile fell away, and she put her hands on her hips once again. "Now wait a second…"

Giles didn’t shy away from the commander’s glare. "She and Katherine are very—or rather—were very close, and I believe that she would have invaluable insight where Katherine is concerned."

"Fine," Velika said, slightly annoyed. "Meet me in detention in an hour."

"We’ll be there," Giles said. Then he headed for the door.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Jocasta’s Apartment – Moments Later

Jocasta was slumped before her computer terminal, her head propped up in her hand. She wasn’t looking at her screen, though. Instead, she was fingering the edges of the digi-frame containing the pictures of herself and Katherine.

Jocasta sat up suddenly when a call startled her. The digi-frame was knocked over as Jocasta answered the call.

"Hello?" Jocasta said.

"Jo, it’s Giles," Giles said. "You need to come in right away. I’ll meet you at the lobby door."

"What’s up?" Jocasta asked.

"I’ll explain when you get here," Giles replied. "It’s important, Jo, so hurry."

"I’ll be right there," she answered, a worried look coming over her face.

She set the digi-frame upright then rushed from her apartment.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Elevator – About An Hour Later

Giles and Jocasta entered the elevator car at the lobby level. Giles punched one of the buttons, and the elevator doors closed.

"Katherine just ran from the fight?" Jocasta said, wringing her hands. "I can’t believe it."

"I know, but–" Giles said.

"What’s going to happen to her?" Jocasta interrupted with worry on her face.

"An investigation, a-a-a court martial, more than likely," Giles answered.

"And if she’s convicted?" Jocasta asked softly.

"It’s a serious charge, one of the major articles in the Revised Code," Giles explained. "If she’s convicted, she could be facing the death

penalty."

Jocasta looked at Giles with shock and fear in her expression.

Fade Out

End of Act Two

 

Fade In:Ext.Watchers Council – Interrogation Room – Night

Velika watched from behind the one-way mirrored glass as Katherine paced about the interrogation room, crying. She saw Katherine turn abruptly when the door was opened and Giles and Jocasta entered the small room.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Interrogation Room – Same Time

Katherine carefully wiped her bruised face and moved directly towards the door when she saw Giles and Jocasta come in.

"Giles, Jo!" Katie called anxiously. "I-I-Is Mira okay? I-I-Is she going to be all right?"

"She was injured badly, but will recover," Giles replied.

"Oh, thank God," Katherine said, relieved.

"Now, if you’ll have a seat, we can begin," Giles stated officially.

"Begin?" Katherine said, confused, as the three of them took their seats at the table.

"Katherine Allison," Giles said in official tone again, "you have been placed under arrest on charges of ‘Cowardice in Battle, specifically for running away in cowardice in the middle of an engagement thereby endangering the lives of your comrades. Anything you say in this interview will be recorded and may be used against you in evidence. You may choose not to answer questions, and you may request legal representation at any time. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Katherine said meekly, having heard the spiel several times already.

"Katherine," Giles said in a softer tone, "now that formalities are over, please, tell us what really happened tonight."

She looked down at her hands. "I’m sure you read the report."

"Yes but, I need to hear your side," Giles said soothingly. "We’re here to help you, but you must tell us the truth. All of it."

Katherine swallowed hard. She looked up at Giles and Jocasta briefly but quickly dropped her eyes again. Then she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

"When I saw the four vampires come my way, I just froze," she said. "It was like I wasn’t where I was any more. I was…in a cemetery, surrounded by more than a dozen vampires, and I couldn’t get away."

"You thought you were in a cemetery?" Giles asked, confused.

Katherine nodded. "It seemed so real, just like in the nightmares."

"The nightmares?" Jocasta asked.

Katherine nodded again. "Like I told you, I don’t think I’ve slept a single night solid since—" Katherine stopped and looked at Jocasta. Then she looked away and continued. "Since we got back from the space station."

"But during the fight, you were reliving what you experienced in your nightmares?" Giles inquired.

"Yes," Katherine replied, looking at Giles. "Everything just changed in a flash, a-a-and I just reacted. I couldn’t seem to stop how I was reacting. It was like…all my emotions were multiplied, and I had no control over them at all, and I just lost it."

Katherine hung her head in shame as she finished explaining. "I ran. I turned my back on Livia and Mira, and I ran. I didn’t stop until I ran into Commander Jenkins on the street. I probably would have kept on running if she hadn’t held onto me. It was only afterward that I realize what had happened."

Giles and Jocasta were silent for a moment, as if trying to absorb what Katherine had told them. Then Jocasta leaned forward and met Katherine’s eyes.

"These nightmares you’ve been having," Jocasta asked, "have they overlapped into your waking hours at any other times?"

"Yes," Katherine said. "Three other times: when I was sparring with Livia, when you and I were preparing for the magic demo, and then…at the demo itself."

"That’s why you were freaking out," Jocasta said, making the connection. Then she softly asked, "What did you see, Katie? What was in your nightmare?"

Katherine’s face became pained as she remembered the nightmare image of a dead and blood-covered Jocasta.

"I-I-I…can’t," Katherine said as she choked back a sob.

Jocasta’s face became pained as well as she watched Katherine cry. "Katie," she said comfortingly, "it’s okay. Everything will be okay."

"No, it’s not okay!" Katherine said hotly, switching abruptly from sadness to anger. "It’s never going to be okay again!"

"Katie, we’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise," Jocasta assured Katherine, reaching for her hand.

"Don’t touch me!" Katherine snapped sharply, startling both Jocasta and Giles. Then she backed away from the table, putting space between herself and her two visitors.

"You think I’m stupid? You’re doing this to me," she accused, pointing at Jocasta and Giles, "You’re trying to hurt me."

Katherine nodded, looking away. "That’s what it is," she rambled to herself, "a plot…against me…trying to push me down, hold me down…that’s what it is."

Jocasta and Giles stared in shock as Katherine ranted. They jumped when Katherine suddenly cut her eyes back to them.

"Stop looking at me!" Katherine shrieked.

Then she backed herself into the corner. She brought her hands to her head as if she were in pain. She began to cry as she slid along the wall to the floor. "I was a good girl, wasn’t I?" she whined, dropping her arms limply to her lap.

Jocasta ran around the table and knelt in front of Katherine. Then she cautiously took one of Katherine’s hands.

"Katie?" Jocasta whispered.

Katherine looked up and glanced from side to side. Confused, she touched the tears on her own face. Then she turned her eyes to Jocasta.

"What’s happening to me?" Katherine said in a strangled voice.

"I don’t know, but we’re going to find out," Jocasta said, as she pulled Katherine into a hug.

Cut to:Ext.Watchers Council – Interrogation Room – Same Time

Velika touched the glass as she watched Jocasta holding the distraught slayer in her arms. Then she looked away, deep in thought.

After a few moments of contemplation, Velika instructed the two security officers standing nearby to enter the room and take Katherine back to detention.

Cut to:Ext.Watchers Council – Interrogation Room – Moments Later

Giles, Jocasta, and Velika frowned as they observed a handcuffed Katherine being led away by the two guards. Katherine looked back once, new tears on her face. Then she hung her head and followed the officers down the hallway.

Once Katherine was out of their sight, Jocasta grabbed Giles’s arm urgently.

"Giles, we have got to get her checked out," Jocasta said worriedly.

"No kidding," Giles said. "Velika?"

"I concur," Velika said. "I’ll make arrangements."

"I had thought Katherine was coping well," Giles said. "You know, with the pressure of her added responsibilities and the…ummm…the stress of all that’s happened, but–"

"No, Giles," Jocasta said, interrupting. "This isn’t some simple mental breakdown caused by job pressure or a breakup," she insisted. "Something about this isn’t right. These nightmares of hers, they don’t seem…natural," Jocasta said ominously.

"It’s unusual, no doubt," Giles commented.

"Agreed," Velika said.

"I’ll do some research, see what I can come up with," Jocasta said to Giles. Then she turned to Velika. "Can you call me when you hear something from medical?"

Velika nodded. Then she and Giles watched Jocasta head down the hallway.

"She seems quite devoted to Katherine, and vice versa," Velika stated.

"Yes, they are…very much in love, despite their current separation," Giles replied.

"Giles," Velika said in milder voice than she’d used earlier, "you know how deeply I value our friendship. You were my watcher. In many ways, you mean more to me than my own father." Velika dropped her eyes for a moment, then raised them again. "I’m walking a fine line here," she said sternly. "Don’t make me choose between you and my duty. I think you know which I’ll choose."

Giles tilted his head in acknowledgment. "I know that you’ll do what you think is right," Giles responded firmly. "As will I."

Giles gave his former slayer a quick squeeze on her arm and then headed down the hallway in the same direction Jocasta had gone.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Infirmary – The Next Morning

After a short and restless night, Katherine was brought to the infirmary. There, flanked by two security officers, she was put through a thorough check-up and a barrage of tests.

At one point, Katherine sat in an examination chair, grimacing as the nurse took what felt like three pints of her blood.

Later, Katherine lay on a gurney with various electrodes attached to her head. She cut her eyes to her left where a technician watched a series of monitors and collected the long tapes of readings being churned out by the machine.

Later still, Katherine tried not to move as her body was mechanically guided into the imaging machine. Once she was inside, the machine began to hum.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Council Chamber – Same Time

Giles banged the gavel repeatedly in an effort to end the angry bickering that had broken out between two factions of the Council after the group had viewed the video of the magic demo and of Katherine’s interrogation.

"Stop this! Stop this at once!" Giles bellowed, continuing to rap the gavel on the podium.

The Councilors involved grumbled and reluctantly took their seats. Giles sighed in relief, until he saw Travers get to his feet.

"Yes, Councilor Travers," Giles said in weary acknowledgement.

"Mr. Chairman," Travers reminded firmly, "the Sub-Committee on Magic, based on the evidence given at the demonstration, has made a motion to implement an immediate cease-and-desist order for all magic research. Since it was properly seconded, the motion must be brought to a vote."

"That’s true," Giles said, "but a counter motion was also proposed that the decision to stop any magic research be postponed until the matter with Slayer Allison is fully investigated."

"Our motion was made first!" Travers replied hotly.

"Be that as it may," Giles answered, "I’m going to put them both to the vote at the same time." Giles made a few entries into his console then turned to address the entire Council. "Councilors, two separate motions have been made, and we shall vote on them at once. Make your choices now."

Giles cast his own vote then walked over to Veronica to await the results once the voting period was over. When Veronica had cast her own vote, she stood and joined Giles.

"What do you think?" Giles asked his friend.

Veronica shook her head uncertainly. "I don’t know. It’s gonna be close. The video from the demo…that hurt."

Giles nodded in unhappy agreement. When he saw the time for voting coming to an end, he returned to the podium. He looked at the results and let out a relieved breath. He punched a button, which sent the results to the big screens about the room.

"45% for an immediate cease-and-desist, 53% for a postponement, 2% abstaining. The motion to postpone has passed," Giles announced. "As per the details of the motion, we will revisit this matter in three days, when more is known about the condition of Slayer Allison. In the meantime, we are adjourned." Giles rapped the gavel one final time.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Infirmary – Later That Morning

As one of the security officers handcuffed Katherine’s hands in front of her, the other watched carefully, his hand resting on the grip of his pistol. When he was done, the officer took hold of Katherine’s arm and began to lead her towards the other officer. Katherine followed along.

"Wait," Katherine said, stopping in place.

The officer stopped with her, and the other quickly joined them, expecting trouble from the prisoner.

"Could we…ummm…stop at ICU before you take me back?" Katherine asked. "I’d like to see M-M-Mira…if I could."

"No can do, Slayer," the first officer said. "Here and then straight back to detention, that’s the order."

"Well, could you call Commander Petrova a-a-and ask her?" Katie asked. "I-I-I think she’d let me if you asked her."

The first officer looked to the second with an inquiring eye. The second rolled his eyes and shrugged. Then he went across the room to a console and placed the call to Petrova. Katherine watched nervously as the second officer spoke, listened, nodded, then ended the call.

When he returned, he said simply, "Okay."

Katherine thanked the two security officers, and they led her down the hallway to ICU.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – ICU – Moments Later

As the two security officers stood several feet away, Katherine walked nervously towards Mira’s hospital bed where Mira was still unconscious. Katherine felt tears spill over her eyelids as she looked at the battered young slayer.

Katherine lifted her hands to the rail on Mira’s bed, the metal of her handcuffs clinking lightly against the metal of the rail.

"Mira," Katherine began in a whisper, "I know you probably can’t hear me, but…I just w-w-wanted to say that I’m—"

"Get the hell away from her!" Katherine heard belted out from behind her. She turned around to face the angry voice.

Livia stood in front of Katherine, her face furious.

Katherine dropped her eyes to her hands. "I was just t-t-trying to—"

"I said, ‘Get…the hell…away from her’," Livia said menacingly, closing in on Katherine with each pause and each step.

Katherine cringed and backed away and didn’t say another word. The two security officers grabbed Katherine’s arms and started leading her from the room.

Livia glared, clenching and re-clenching her fists, until Katherine’s form disappeared from her line of vision behind the ICU door.

Fade out

Fade in:Ext.Watchers Council – Infirmary – Late Morning

Giles stood anxiously outside the infirmary as he waited for Jocasta to join him. He looked up when he heard the elevator opening. Jocasta hurried out of the car before the doors had even finished opening.

"What did the doctor say?" Jocasta asked.

"I don’t know, I haven’t spoken with him yet. Velika is with him now, waiting for us," Giles answered as he led Jocasta towards the infirmary entrance. "How’s your research coming? Have you found anything?"

"No, nothing yet," Jocasta admitted with a frown. "At first I thought maybe it was a drug of some kind, one designed to induce psychosis, but…"

"What?" Giles inquired. "None of them fit?"

"Oh, plenty of them fit, it’s just…" Jocasta paused and shook her head. Then she continued: "It’s the nightmares, Giles. They’re the key here. I just know it."

"Well, let’s see what Dr. McClelland has to say," Giles replied. "If it is a drug, he’ll tell us. If not, we’ll go from there."

Giles and Jocasta entered the infirmary and went to the doctor’s office.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Infirmary – Moments Later

Giles and Jocasta joined Velika in the doctor’s office, greeting both the doctor and the commander as they took their seats.

"Tell us, doctor, what did you find out?" Velika asked.

"All of the test results suggest that Miss Allison is suffering from extreme sleep deprivation," Dr. McClelland explained.

"That would explain her fatigue," Giles commented.

"Yes, it would," Dr. McClelland concurred. "Mild to moderate sleep deprivation can cause tiredness, edginess, irritability, inability to tolerate stress, problems with concentration and memory—"

"Which would explain why she had so much trouble with the magic," Jocasta said to Giles, interrupting the doctor. "It takes extreme concentration, and she clearly wasn’t able to focus at all."

Giles nodded to Jocasta, then turned back to Dr. McClelland. "What else, doctor?" Giles prompted.

"Severe sleep deprivation, however," the doctor continued, "can cause the impairment of both motor and mental functions. The sufferer can experience vivid hallucinations and develop intense paranoia. Left unchecked, the condition can cause the person to harm himself and others."

"Do you have any idea what’s causing it?" Velika asked.

Dr. McClelland opened his mouth to answer, but was once again interrupted by Jocasta.

"It’s the nightmares," Jocasta insisted to Giles. "Every time she sleeps, she has nightmares."

"The nightmares," Dr. McClelland interjected in a superior tone, "are more likely a symptom themselves than a cause. The scans clearly indicate that something isn’t right in her brain patterns. It’s my theory that something is disrupting her normal brain functions, thereby causing the nightmares and the sleep deprivation."

"So it’s not stress induced?" Giles asked.

"A slayer’s life is not easy but in this case…no, not in my opinion," Dr. McClelland answered.

"Well, what’s causing this…disruption?" Velika inquired.

"We’re not sure," the doctor answered. "But we do know what it’s not. It’s not a brain tumor or aberration of any kind. There’s no evidence of drugs in her system. There’s no familial tendency to sleep disorders or mental illness. We’ve ruled all those out."

"What does that leave?" Velika asked.

Dr. McClelland shrugged in response. "I wish I knew. But I’d have to say science has reached its limits here."

"What can you do? To-to help her, I mean?" Giles asked.

"There are some different drugs we can try, things that will hopefully make her sleep," the doctor said. "Sometimes if you can force the body back into a regular sleep pattern, the brain will essentially reset itself. But that will work only if the original disruptive influence is no longer present."

"We’ll just end up running circles at some point," Jocasta said disappointedly.

Again the doctor shrugged. "That’s my prognosis. So find the key, the catalyst if you will, and we can work on fixing the problem. But honestly, I’m at my wit’s end. I can’t think of any other test I could give her here."

"Yes, well, thank you, doctor," Velika said.

"If you’ll excuse me, I have a patient to see," the doctor said, coming around his desk. His three visitors stood. "Mr. Chairman, Colonel Rosenberg," he said in parting.

"I’ll have Miss Allison brought back in," Velika said to the doctor, walking out with him as he left his office. "Do what you can, and call me if there is any change whatsoever."

After Velika departed, Giles and Jocasta were left alone in Dr. McClelland’s office.

"What about magic?" Jocasta asked. "Maybe it’s a spell or-or some kind of psychic attack?"

"Katherine is highly sensitive to magical and mystical energies," Giles said. "We should look into it."

"I think it’s time I had a talk with Willow," Jocasta said.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Jocasta’s Office – Later

Jocasta dropped into her chair and immediately activated the program containing the Progenitor File. Within seconds, a full-sized holographic representation of Willow Rosenberg appeared beside Jo’s desk.

"Jo!" Willowgram said cheerfully. "It’s so good to see you again! It’s like seeing myself, really."

"Yeah, right," Jocasta said quickly. "Listen, we’ve got a problem."

"Boy, things never change, do they?" Willow said. "What do you need?"

"Information about nightmares and sleep deprivation," Jocasta answered. "Is there a spell or some kind of psychic attack that could cause them? Or-or is there a demon that specializes in nightmares?"

Willow tilted her head as if in thought. "Accessing," she said. "One moment please."

After a several seconds of accessing, Willowgram straightened and looked at Jocasta.

"Willow Rosenberg’s early journals report an incident in Sunnydale in which everyone’s nightmares were coming true. They tracked the problem to a comatose boy, whose own nightmare was somehow being fueled by the energies of the Hellmouth. Once the boy confronted the source of his own nightmare, the occurrence ended."

"Hmmm," Jocasta said, thinking. "That doesn’t seem to fit. Anything else?"

"During the early years of the new Council, the Presidium launched a psychic attack on the entire slayer line, literally kidnapping them in their dreams and transporting them to some kind of dreamscape arena where they had to fight to the death."

"I don’t think that’s what’s going on," Jocasta said. "It’s not all the slayers being affected, as far as I know. It seems to have one particular target: Katie."

"Katie?" Willow asked.

"Yes," Jocasta answered. "It’s like someone is intentionally afflicting her with nightmares. What could do that?"

"Let me narrow the search," Willowgram said, tilting her head once again. "One moment please."

Jocasta waited anxiously, rapping her fingers on the desk, then nervously rearranging items. She looked up when she heard Willowgram exclaim, "Aha!"

"I think I have what you’re looking for," Willow said, smiling proudly.

"What is it?" Jocasta asked.

"The excruciatio nocturna," Willowgram answered.

"The what?" Jocasta said.

"The excruciatio nocturna," Willowgram repeated. "Literally, ‘torment by night.’ It’s a nightmare curse."

"I-I-Is it dangerous?" Jocasta asked.

"Very," Willowgram said.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Conference Room – Early Afternoon

Giles sat in his usual place at the head of the table. To his right sat Jocasta, Antonia, and Lex. To his left were Livia and James. Livia sat slumped in her chair, clearly unhappy to be there.

When Giles explained Katherine’s nightmares and sleep deprivation and their effects on her physical and mental condition, Livia sat up straight in her chair.

"Wait just a minute," Livia interjected. "You’re telling me she went wacko ’cause she wasn’t gettin’ enough sleep?"

"No, there’s more," Jocasta said. "Katie’s under the influence of a spell."

"A spell?" Livia asked incredulously. Then she snorted derisively and slumped back in her chair.

"Yes," Jocasta replied insistently. "It’s called the excruciatio nocturna."

"Night pain?" James asked, doing some quick translating in his head.

"Close," Jocasta replied. "It’s Latin. Literally ‘torment by night.’ The victim is forced to experience progressively worse nightmares—nightmares that feed on his worst guilts and fears. The worse the guilt or fear, the more likely it is that it will manifest in his nightmares."

"What can we do?" Antonia asked. "There’s a way to break the spell, right?"

"Yes, there is a counter-spell, and I’ve gathered the ingredients necessary to cast it," Jocasta said.

"Well, what are we doing sitting here then?" Lex said, standing. "Let’s go see Katie, Jo can do the witchy-wonder-cure, and everything’ll be okay."

"That is our intention," Giles explained. "Katherine is being brought up from detention to the infirmary. We intend to do the spell there in case…" Giles didn’t complete his sentence.

"In case what?" Antonia asked worriedly. "In case it doesn’t work?"

Livia sat up in her seat and looked in Jocasta’s direction as the redhead nodded in response to her cousin’s question. Antonia took Jocasta’s hand and squeezed it.

"W-W-What will happen to her if we can’t break the spell?" James asked.

Giles took off his glasses. "If it goes unchecked…"

"…she’ll go insane," Jocasta finished sadly. "Probably have to be put away. Somewhere she can’t…hurt herself…or somebody else."

As Jocasta bottom lip quivered, Livia and the others frowned sympathetically. Antonia moved closer and put her arm around her cousin’s shoulders.

"I should’ve talked to her," Jocasta said in anguish to Antonia. "I let my stupid grudge about Trent go on too long, and now—"

"It’ll be okay," Antonia assured her. "You’ll see."

"Well, who did this?" Lex said. "I mean, somebody had to do this to her, right? So who did it?"

"We don’t know," Giles replied. "Our focus at the moment is to free Katherine from the curse. After that, we can—" Giles stopped when his link began to beep.

"Yes?" Giles said, answering his call. "Yes, thank you, we’ll meet you there."

Giles deactivated his link and turned back to the group. "That was Commander Petrova. They’ll be bringing Katherine up shortly."

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Medical Lab – Same Time

Two female figures dragged a struggling Katherine into a darkened room.

"What are you doing? Where are you taking me?" Katherine demanded.

Her captors didn’t answer. Instead, they threw her onto a metal examination table and strapped her arms and legs down via wrist and ankle restraints. Once Katherine was secured, they switched on the directional light above the table, revealing their features.

"Livia, Mira," Katherine pleaded with the two slayers, "I’m sorry…it wasn’t my fault, I swear!"

Livia and Mira still didn’t speak. They glared coldly at Katherine until approaching footsteps caught their attention. They looked up, and Katherine did the same, but she couldn’t make out who else was there.

Suddenly, the main overheads were turned on, and the room was brightly lit. Now Katherine could clearly see her former watcher, Sean Rayne, standing beside the light switch on the wall. He was dressed in scrubs, with his hands gloved, but his face free of the surgical mask.

Katherine looked around the well-lit room, as if searching for anything that might aid in her escape. As she took in her surroundings, a look of realization came over her face. She was in the autopsy lab—the same lab in which Rayne had done the examination on the cyber-vamp, the last time she and her watcher had officially worked together.

"Oh, god!" Katherine cried as she began to fight her restraints in earnest.

Livia and Mira calmly pressed Katherine’s shoulders back onto the table and held her firmly in place as Rayne approached.

Rayne let his gaze trail over the body of the bound slayer before he settled on her terrified eyes.

"What would make a slayer betray the sacred trust between herself and her watcher?" Rayne asked sarcastically as he came to the side of the table.

Katherine strained uselessly against the hands of her fellow slayers.

Rayne lifted his eyes to Mira and Livia. "For that matter, what would make a slayer abandon her sisters in the heat of battle?"

At that, Katherine closed her eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them once again. She found Rayne leaning over her, staring at her face.

"What’s inside a slayer that could possibly make her do such things?" he asked. After a pause, he straightened and said in a matter-of-fact but enthusiastic tone, "Let’s find out!"

Rayne cheerfully lifted his hand, which was holding a large scalpel. He twisted it several times in his grip, letting the steel glint in the harsh light of the lamp. As he leaned over her torso to make the first cut, Katherine began to shake her head and yell "no" in rising intensity. A hand covered her mouth, muffling what quickly became agonizing screams.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Katherine’s Detention Cell – Same Time

After ending her call to Giles, Velika watched Katherine as she tossed and turned on her bunk, clearly in the throes of a nightmare. Katherine began to pull at her hair, becoming more vocal and more violent in her movements. Velika reached for the button on the speaker.

Before Velika could press the button, Katherine awakened in terror, screaming and tumbling off the bed. She scrambled into the far corner, shielding herself with her arms.

Velika frowned at the sight. Then she turned to the two security officers behind her and instructed them to prepare the prisoner for transport to the infirmary upstairs.

When the officers entered her cell and came towards her, Katherine began to shake her head and say "no" over and over in an increasingly distressed voice. Velika called the officers back. Then Velika herself entered the cell, with the officers guarding the door.

"Katie," Velika said in a gentle voice as she slowly inched her way towards the hysterical slayer. "It’s Velika. You remember me, don’t you?"

"No, no," Katherine whimpered from behind her arm.

"I remember you," Velika said. "I remember when you came to the Council, when you first became a slayer. Do you remember that?"

Katherine lowered her arm and lifted her head, her eyes darting nervously about the room.

"So shy, you were," Velika said, kneeling beside Katherine. "To tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure how you’d turn out. I remember thinking that you were too gentle a soul to have been gifted with such a violent calling."

Katherine’s eyes finally settled on Velika’s face. She frowned, as if trying to remember who this woman was. Velika took Katherine’s hand and smiled at her. Then Katherine allowed Velika to pull her to her feet.

"Katie, I need you to come with me," Velika explained in a soothing voice. Then she nodded to the security officers, who came forward with a pair of handcuffs.

Katherine shot a frightened look at Velika when the officers began cuffing her.

"It’s okay, it’s okay," Velika reassured the slayer until it was over. "There, all done. Now we’re just going to take a little walk, okay?"

As Velika led Katherine away, the two officers followed dutifully behind. As they left the cell and headed down the hallway, Katherine leaned over to speak to Velika.

"I tried to tell them," Katherine said in a crazed voice, "but they wouldn’t listen…"

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Elevator – Moments Later

Katie continued her ranting as Velika and the officers entered the elevator.

"They didn’t believe me," Katherine said conspiratorially to Velika when the elevator doors closed. "I told them, ‘I have things in my head.’ "

Katherine banged her head with her fist. "Things that don’t belong there," she continued, "that’s why I did it, that’s why, not because…"

Katherine trailed off and looked away as the elevator closed.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Outside the Infirmary – Moments Later

When the elevator doors opened, Velika and the two security officers led Katherine out. Katherine started up again as they walked down the hallway, her voice was a mixture of hardness and hysteria.

"Fear is for the weak-minded, those who cannot control their fear will be controlled by their fear, fear is a worm with no name, wriggling in your gut, filling your throat, choking the air from you, till you run, run, as fast you can to escape it, but you can’t, because it’s in you, part of you, always, eating you from the inside out—"

Katherine froze in place when she saw the entrance to the infirmary. She shook her head and tried to back away. The two security officers stopped her and began gently pulling her towards the door.

"Katie, we’re just trying to help, okay?" Velika said, trying to calm the rattled slayer.

"No," Katie whimpered as she was pulled inside.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Infirmary – Moments Later

Dr. McClelland watched the officers drag Katherine inside the examination area. When he saw her agitated state, he went to a nearby exam table and pulled out a hypodermic loaded with a sedative. He moved slowly towards her. Velika stepped aside to allow him access to Katherine.

"I’m going to give you something to calm you down, okay?" Dr. McClelland said in soothing voice. "We just want to take care of you, but we need you to be calm so we can do that."

Katherine locked her eyes on the hypodermic and then on the exam table. The fear on her face gave way to fury, and she went into action.

Using the two security officers as a counter-balance, Katherine kicked Dr. McClelland in the chest, sending him crashing into the exam table.

Then, she rammed her elbow into the gut of the officer to her right before delivering a high round kick to the face of the other officer, causing him to tumble into Velika. When the second officer went down, Katherine turned back to the first. She linked the fingers of her cuffed hands and delivered a double-fisted blow to the back of his head.

When Katherine spun around to face Velika, she found the commander getting to her feet and pulling out her stun gun. Velika was no match for the crazed slayer, however. Katherine rushed the tall blonde, slamming her hard against the wall.

As the dazed Velika slipped to the floor, Katherine whipped around to see if her other attackers were moving. They weren’t. When she heard the sound of people rushing to the scene from elsewhere in the infirmary, Katherine grabbed the handcuff keys from one of the officers then quickly fled.

Fade Out

 

End of Act Three

 

Fade In:Int.Watchers Council – Outside the Infirmary – Resume

As soon as she left the infirmary, Katherine ran for the elevator. When she heard it ding, indicating passengers were about to disembark, she changed course and headed for the emergency stairs. She was through the door and on her way down the steps before the elevator doors even opened.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Outside the Infirmary – Seconds Later

When the elevator doors opened, Jocasta and Giles and the rest of the gang left the car and walked towards the infirmary entrance.

"Do you really think this is gonna work?" Livia asked Jocasta.

"It has to," Jocasta said.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Infirmary – Moments Later

Jocasta and the gang were surprised by the scene they discovered inside the infirmary. Nurses hovered over two unconscious security officers. Dr. McClelland was helping Velika to her feet.

"I said I’m fine!" Velika said to the doctor, swatting away his hand once she was up.

"Velika!" Giles called to his former slayer. "What’s happened?"

Velika gingerly touched the back of her head then looked at her hand, expecting to find blood there.

"What does it look like happened?" Velika barked. "Katie escaped!"

"What?" Jocasta exclaimed.

"When we brought her up here, she was already in a very disturbed state, kept babbling nonsense," Velika explained. "When Dr. McClelland tried to give her a sedative, she went ballistic. Took out all four of us and then ran out the door."

"We must’ve just missed her," Lex said.

"The stairs!" Livia said. "I’ll check ’em out." Livia turned to leave.

"Halt!" Velika shouted, stopping the dark-haired slayer in place.

"Come on, Velika," Livia complained. "Er…um…Commander," Livia amended when Velika stared her down.

Velika handed Livia her stun gun. "Take this, and use it if you must," Velika commanded. "If you are unable to locate her in the immediate area, call me for further orders."

"Yes, ma’am," Livia said, then she dashed out of the infirmary.

Velika turned back to the group. She looked at Giles and Jocasta for a moment, then activated her link.

"Security, this is Commander Velika Petrova. I have a code red situ–" Velika began before being interrupted by Giles taking her arm.

"Wait," Giles said.

"Stand by," Velika said to her link. Then she turned to meet Giles’s gaze.

"Giles, you know the protocol," Velika warned. "Do not interfere."

"Yes, I’m well aware of the protocol, which is why I want you to wait," Giles pleaded.

"She’ s a rogue slayer!" Velika said hotly.

"She’s not a ‘rogue slayer’!" Giles countered just as hotly. "She’s a sick young woman who is in no way responsible for the condition she’s in!"

Giles paused and softened his tone. "As I explained to you earlier, we have the counter-spell. But it’s no good to us if Katie is gunned down before we can get the chance to cast it." Giles paused again and looked into Velika’s eyes. "All I’m asking for is time to find her ourselves…before you call out the troops. We can reverse the spell’s effects, and Katie can be brought back in safely."

Velika took a deep breath and walked away, her back to Giles and the group. After a few seconds of thinking, Velika faced Giles once again. She reactivated her link. "Security, disregard former message. Petrova out."

Giles let out his breath and smiled in relief. "Thank you," he said.

Velika didn’t return his smile. "You have until I get my squad together," Velika said firmly. "That’s it."

Giles nodded his acceptance of the deal.

Velika’s link beeped, and she answered. "Petrova." She listened a moment. "Very well. Continue assisting Chairman Giles until further notice," she said then disconnected.

Velika turned to Giles. "Livia didn’t find Katherine. She’s on her way back up." Velika held eye contact with Giles for a moment and then slowly left.

When Velika had gone, Jocasta moved to Giles’s side. "I think I know how to find Katie," she whispered.

Fade out

Fade in:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Afternoon

No longer handcuffed, Katherine ran between a row of storage units. As she neared the end of the row, she slowed her pace and stopped. She bent over and rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. When a noise startled her, she shot up and looked fearfully around her. She began backing away.

Cut to:Ext.Watchers Council – Same Time

In a small alcove near the main entrance, Livia and Lex and Antonia stood nearby and watched Jocasta as she prepared for a spell. The watcher laid a large square of cloth on the ground. Jocasta began circling the cloth whispering incantations.

Antonia leaned over to Lex and Livia. "Is this gonna work?" the pilot whispered.

"It better," Lex replied. "We don’t have any other way of finding her. They took her link and headset when she was arrested."

"And since we’re doing this search unofficially, we don’t have the resources for a full physical search," Livia added. "Not like Velika’s going to have."

Jocasta took her place on the cloth, sitting cross-legged. She caught the eyes of the others and nodded. They nodded back. Then she closed her eyes and began the spell.

After a few moments of concentration, Jocasta spoke a final incantation and opened her eyes. A marble-sized glowing ball floated in the air before Jocasta’s face. She smiled and looked at the others, who were staring open-mouthed.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Computer Center – Same Time

James sat at a monitor with Giles standing behind him and looking over his shoulder. Their eyes were locked on the picture, which showed the glowing ball from the point of view of the camera built into Jocasta’s headset.

They watched as Jocasta told the glowing ball, "Find Katie." Their mouths dropped open when the tiny orb pulsed brightly once and then started bobbing its way down the sidewalk with Jocasta and the others quickly following.

Cut to:Int.Watchers Council – Slayer Command – Same Time

Velika paced before a squad of her slayers, who stood at attention, awaiting the orders of their commander. In the front row, Brianna stood between Janet and Lian.

"We have a code-red situation…a level ten take-down," Velika announced.

"Level ten?" Janet said incredulously.

"Mad dog," Lian added ominously.

"That’s right," Velika answered. "A rogue slayer."

"Katie?" Brianna asked.

"I’m afraid so," the commander replied. "Slayer Katherine Allison has escaped detention and is to be considered armed and dangerous. Her location is unknown at this time. You are to sweep the city, find her, and bring her back in. Do not underestimate her. She is completely irrational and is capable of anything. Although we prefer that she be brought in alive, lethal force is authorized if your lives are at stake."

At Velika’s last words, Brianna looked nervously about the room.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Moments Later

Katherine continued to move haphazardly through the maze of storage units. Finally, she arrived at a dead end, where a brick wall separated the storage area from the lot next door. Graffiti covered the brick and the sides of the storage units. A nearby garbage can was knocked over, its contents strewn throughout the enclosure.

When she saw that her way was blocked, Katherine turned around to go back the way she had come. She froze in place when she saw Sean Rayne walking around the corner. Absolute terror filled her eyes, and she began backing towards the brick wall.

Rayne simply grinned and closed in.

Cut to:

Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

Jocasta, Livia, Lex, and Antonia followed the floating glow-ball into the row of storage units nearest the Council.

"Jo, look!" Antonia called out, pointing to the ground.

All four looked and saw a pair of handcuffs and a set of keys lying on the cracked asphalt.

"We’re on the right track!" Jocasta cried happily. "Come on!"

Once again, the group trailed the glowing ball as it wove in and out of the warren of rows and aisles that made up the storage facility.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

Janet and Lian, two of Velika’s slayers on mad-dog duty, entered the storage area on the side farthest from the Council. Janet carried a pistol while Lian was armed with a rifle, complete with a laser sight. With Janet in the lead, the two slayers began moving cautiously through the rows of storage units.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

Katherine backed into the brick wall. She looked from side to side, but there was nowhere to go. Rayne moved closer and closer. Katherine cowered and then began to cry. Finally, she dropped to her knees.

"Please don’t hurt me," she begged frantically.

"Why not?" Rayne said, standing over her. "You hurt me."

"I’m-I’m sorry, so sorry," she cried.

Rayne knelt in front of his former slayer. "Don’t worry," he said in a soothing voice, "I’m not going to hurt you."

"Y-Y-You’re not?" Katherine asked, confused.

Rayne shook his head gently. "But the others will."

"The others?"

"Your friends and colleagues from the Council. Your sisters too. They’re on their way here now."

Katherine tried to look around Rayne, but he locked eyes with her.

"They’re going to kill you," he said harshly, "going to put you down like the mad dog you are."

Katherine shook her head in denial.

Rayne gazed off thoughtfully as he continued. "Or maybe they’ll just lock you away in a padded cell and do experiments on you." He turned back to Katherine and then rose to his feet. "Either way, it doesn’t look good for you."

"Get the hell away from her!" a voice came from behind Rayne.

Rayne merely grinned and turned to face the furious Jocasta, who was flanked by Livia and Lex and Antonia.

"What did you do to her?" Jocasta demanded.

Rayne gave her his best I’m-innocent look. "Nothing. She did it to herself. Sooo many secret guilts and fears. Tsk-tsk."

As the four moved down the row, they all drew their pistols, and Livia and Lex took the lead.

Suddenly, their weapons were magically snatched from their grips. The four gawked in amazement as their pistols floated in the air above their heads.

"What the—" Lex said.

With a gesture from Rayne, the pistols went flying fifty feet behind them, crashing into the sides of the storage units in the opposite row. Now weaponless but undeterred, Livia and Lex rushed Rayne, only to

bounce off a magical shield. Rayne laughed at their surprised expressions.

Katherine scuttled to the opposite corner and huddled near the overturned garbage can.

Rayne twisted his hand in the air, and Livia and Lex found themselves being pushed by the shield as Rayne stepped towards them. As Rayne moved closer, Livia and Lex were pushed into Jocasta and Antonia until he had the four of them contained. The four struggled against the barrier.

"Can’t you do something?" Antonia said to Jocasta.

Jocasta held both of her palms against the shield, clearly concentrating on trying to dispel the barrier. "I’m trying," she said through clenched teeth.

As Rayne reached the foursome and walked past them, he kept his hand raised to them. When he had backed away a sufficient distance beyond them, he made a shoving motion towards the group, slamming them hard into the storage unit wall. As they crumpled to the ground in a heap, Rayne sprinted from the storage area.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Seconds Later

A little dazed but otherwise unharmed, the four untangled themselves and got to their feet.

"Livia, you and Lex and Toni go after Rayne," Jocasta commanded. "I want that bastard caught!"

"What about Katie?" Livia asked.

"I can handle her," Jocasta insisted. "Call backup, but get that guy!"

Livia and Lex and Antonia dashed up the aisle, reclaimed their weapons, and headed in the direction Rayne had gone.

Jocasta turned back to the brick wall where Katherine was huddled in the corner. The redhead slowly eased her way to the back of the row. She carefully knelt beside Katherine and placed a gentle hand on her arm.

Katherine yelped in fright and jumped to her feet, knocking Jocasta onto her backside. Katherine stumbled in the process and scrambled on hands and knees until she was past Jocasta. She flipped over to keep an eye on Jocasta.

"Get away from me!" the slayer said, pointing at Jocasta while still backing away.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

Janet arrived at the end of the row just as Katherine got to her feet. Janet gave Lian a silent signal to stop.

Janet pointed up, toward the roof of the storage units. "Take position," Janet whispered into the mic of her headset.

"Copy," Lian whispered back before disappearing behind the corner again.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

Jocasta held her hands out in a placating gesture as she gradually got to her feet.

"Katie, it’s me…Jo," she said soothingly. "Okay? I’m here to help you."

"No!" Katherine cried out in an insane voice. "You want to hurt me! You want to kill me!"

Katherine backed away another step and then glanced frantically around, as if looking for a weapon of some kind. She found it in a broken bottle, which she quickly snatched up and held out in front of herself.

Janet moved silently closer.

Cut to:Ext.Roof of Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

Now in position on the roof of the storage unit overlooking the dead-end row, Lian checked her rifle, switched on its laser sight, and then aimed it in Katherine’s direction.

The red dot of the laser appeared on Katherine’s back. A shot at that point would send a bullet straight through the slayer’s heart.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

"No!" Katherine yelled, waving the jagged edge of the broken bottle in Jocasta’s direction. "Keep away from me!"

"Katie, I know you’re scared right now a-a-and confused," Jocasta said, "but you need to know, it’s not your fault. You’re under a spell, a curse, actually."

When Katherine seemed to think about that, Jocasta inched forward.

"I said, Keep away!" Katherine shrieked, stabbing the air before her with the bottle.

Cut to:Ext.Roof of Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

Lian kept the red dot firmly positioned on Katherine’s back, despite the slayer’s erratic movements.

"I have a shot. Should I take it?" she spoke into her mic.

"Negative," came the reply. "Wait for my word."

"Copy," Lian replied, never taking her eye off Katherine.

Cut to:Ext.Storage Units Near Watchers Council – Same Time

"Katie, remember your nightmares?" Jocasta coaxed. "They’re part of the curse. The curse that Rayne put on you."

"He’s my watcher! He said…" Katherine started then weakly trailed off, frowning deeply as if trying to make sense of what was happening.

"Sweetie, he’s the one doing this to you."

Katherine shook her head in denial at first, then she looked at Jocasta with stricken eyes.

"I still have a clear shot," Janet heard Lian say in her earpiece.

"Hold your fire," Janet whispered quietly but firmly as she continued to watch the standoff unfold.

Jocasta slowly crept forward, closing the distance between herself and Katherine. "I’m here to help you, Katie. I can break the curse, but I need you to trust me."

Tears rolled down Katherine’s cheeks as she stared into Jocasta’s face for the longest time. Then, with a sob, Katherine dropped to her knees, letting the broken bottle fall from her hand. Jocasta dashed over and drew Katherine into her arms.

"Stand down," Janet said to Lian over the radio.

"Thank god," Lian replied.

"Jo…" Katherine cried.

Jocasta stroked Katherine’s back as she reassured her over and over, "It’s okay, it’s not your fault."

"I got so lost," Katherine finally managed to say in a choked voice.

"I found you…I will always find you," Jocasta answered, squeezing Katherine tighter.

 

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Watchers Council – Infirmary – Night

Katherine lay in her hospital bed with Jocasta standing beside her, holding her hand. The rest of the Scoobies had been there earlier, but had now gone, leaving the two women alone.

Katherine’s eyes fluttered closed, but then suddenly opened again. Within seconds, the slayer repeated the process. At the third instance, Jocasta gave Katherine a nudge.

"Katie, just go to sleep. Stop fighting it."

Katherine shook her head. "I can’t," she said.

"Why not?"

"I’m afraid," Katherine said. She looked away. "Afraid of what I’ll dream."

Jocasta frowned, then grinned. She let go of Katherine’s hand and released the rail on the side of the bed. Then she climbed right up into the bed with Katherine.

"What are you doing?" Katherine exclaimed in surprise.

"Hush!" Jocasta said firmly as she pulled Katherine into her arms. "Now go to sleep!"

Katherine had resisted for only a second before she had smiled broadly and let Jocasta embrace her. She sighed contentedly. After a moment, she leaned back and looked at Jocasta.

"You don’t have to do this," Katherine said.

"You did it for me once, remember? On the train to Sunnydale."

"I know, but really…you don’t have to stay with me."

"This is where I want to be," Jocasta insisted. "This is where I belong."

Katherine started to object, but Jocasta placed her fingers over the slayer’s mouth.

"No," Jocasta told her firmly. "No apologies, no regrets, no fears. Not from either of us. Not tonight."

"And tomorrow?" Katherine asked when Jocasta had removed her hand.

"I’ll be here," Jocasta assured her.

At that, Katherine snuggled back into Jocasta’s arms and finally let sleep take her.

Fade out

Fade in:Int.Eris Pantelles’s Penthouse – Later That Night

A momentarily-sated Eris Pantelles lay back in her bed, making small murmurs of contentment as she ran her fingers through the hair of her lover, Sean Rayne.

"And the curse?" she asked.

"Worked like a charm," Rayne answered, a gleeful grin on his face. "Turned that little bitch into a total nutcase."

"But they cured her, you said."

"Well, yeah, but still…"

"And the magic reintegration plan?"

"Ehhh…unaffected, I’m afraid," he admitted. "If Travers had done his part weeks ago and kept the Progenitor File out of Rosenberg’s hands, it would have worked perfectly."

Rayne rolled onto his side and placed his hand on Eris’s stomach. Then he nuzzled her neck and kissed her on the ear.

"Is your mole still in place?" he asked.

"Yessss," Eris replied.

Rayne kissed Eris’s neck and whispered in her ear, "Will you tell me who it is?"

Eris’s face creased into a smirk as she rolled over and straddled Rayne’s body.

"Nah-ah-ah," she said with a chiding gesture. "A woman can’t reveal all her secrets. You have your way in," she said, tapping Rayne’s nose playfully, "and I have mine."

Then she gave Rayne a passionate kiss, which he eagerly returned.

Fade Out

End of NOCTURNE