The Night of the Bloody Terror

ACT FOUR

INT. BASEMENT LABORATORY

SHOT - EXTREME CLOSE UP of West's face

Collapsed, his chin against his chest - unconscious.

He starts to rouse.

SHOT - PULL BACK

West is in a wooden chair, his feet tied together at the ankles with a rope and his wrists cuffed to the side arm supports with an individual handcuff on each side.

He looks around -

SHOT - WEST'S POV - PAN ROOM

A typical laboratory - for any steam-punk mad scientist. Equipment, tools - and dusty, dark wine bottles scattered about.

Dominating the room, and in front of West to the right, is a gurney taken right out of a prison's lethal injection room, with extensions for the arms. Strapped to it is Albert Hustin. He's hooked up to a primitive device that we can nonetheless recognize as an I.V.

SHOT - the tube connected to his arm vein with a needle

Camera follows the tube to the other end - a jar of bright red blood

SHOT - WEST REACTS

This just keeps getting better.

And his eyes move to -

SHOT - WEST's POV

A second table next to it, ominously empty: waiting for west

SHOT - FULL

West takes a minute to check his own current predicament.

He tries to pry his legs apart. He jiggles the chair. He yanks on the handcuff chains.

That's it.

He wraps the chain from one handcuff around his hand once to get a grip on it. He pulls the other cuff until it is positioned at the joint of the chair arm and its support.

He yanks.

Not enough leverage.

West jumps his feet onto the seat chair so that he is in a squatted position. Using his shoulder to add strength, he yanks on it again. The arm inches apart from its support piece.

One final yank and the arm separates from the support, and the cuff swings free.

West does the same on the other side. Wraps the chain around his hand and yanks.

Yanks again. The cuff swings free.

West reaches a hand around to untie the knot on the ropes binding his legs together -

- when -

SHOT - secret door to the wine cellar in the wall at the head of the gurneys.

The Sheriff ENTERS, brandishing a gun.

SHOT - FULL

He strides around the gurneys and finds -

SHOT - WEST

Sitting in the chair, handcuffs back in their original position and rope still around his ankles.

SHOT - FULL

The Sheriff is pleasantly relieved by West's relaxed presence and obvious acceptance of his situation.

He holsters his gun.

SHERIFF

Thank you for joining us, Mister West.

WEST

I would have been here sooner, but the invitation didn't have directions. Hell of a time finding the place.

The Sheriff starts to prepare the other table. He gets an empty IV bottle -

SHERIFF

You're young, strong - in robust health. I wanted your blood from the first moment I saw you. With who you are, though, I thought it was impossible.

The Sheriff retrieves the tubing and attaches it to the bottle.

SHERIFF (CONT'D)

And now here you are, offering your blood to me...a true gentlemen. Thank you, Mister West.

WEST

Actually, I just had pasta with garlic sauce. I thought I'd warn you - I don't want to give you indigestion.

The Sheriff opens the restraint buckles and lays the restraints open to allow room for West's body.

SHERIFF

We've had wolfpacks roaming the countryside. You shouldn't have gone hunting alone.

WEST

I'm afraid I don't hunt.

SHERIFF

(flat)

I do.

The Sheriff raises and prepares a long, ominous needle.

SHERIFF (CONT'D)

Your blood has a robust vitality I haven't seen in these parts in years.

WEST

That's the problem you encounter you take when you eat all your neighbors.

The Sheriff approaches West, needle in hand.

SHERIFF

(dry)

Humor isn't passed along in the blood.

At the sight of the needle, West reels - woozy.

WEST

I'm afraid... I don't do well with needles...

The Sheriff reaches to catch him as he succumbs to the vapors-

- and West's feet come up, pounding into the Sheriff's stomach -

- the Sheriff goes flying back, smashing down into equipment.

West yanks the loose rope off his ankles and gets up, but the Sheriff is already back up -

The man swings at West, but West ducks and dives to the right.

The missed punch unbalances the Sheriff and he stumbles forward.

West grabs him from behind and wraps his handcuff chains around the man's neck.

West strangles the man as he struggles unsuccessfully.

The Sheriff chokes and falls down, unconscious.

West unhooks the handcuffs from his wrist and drops them, then EXITS through the door to the wine cellar.

Hustin sits up and swings his legs over the edge of the table.

INT. TRAIN

Gordon is working at a desk covered with the Doctor's record books and papers. It's clear from his disgruntled demeanor that he's not having much success.

The carrier pigeon bell rings.

He gets up and goes over, opens the panel on the side of the fireplace, and retrieves the pigeon.

GORDON

Hello, Arabella. How was your trip? Now you didn't say hello to any of those lovely hawks on your journey here, did you?

He retrieves the message from her leg while talking, then puts her back in the panel.

GORDON (CONT'D)

Thank you, dear.

He paces back to the desk, unrolling and unfolding the paper.

He sits down, studying it...and starts checking back and forth between the paper and the books on his desk.

This - is EXACTLY what he's been waiting for. The key to the code in the Doctor's books.

He uses the message from the pigeon to quickly start decoding what has been frustrating him. Eager, excited by success...

- until he sees what the decoded books say. His face falls.

He's shocked. Then he realizes its implications for his friend - and he's horrified.

He grabs his hat and coat, not even bothering to put them on as he tears out the door.

INT. MAYOR'S OFFICE

The Mayor is arming himself from his kit. He's holding both his axe and the strange steam-punk gun from his kit.

West ENTERS.

MAYOR

Mister West, you're safe!

WEST

I had a tour of the other side of your basement, Mister Mayor.

MAYOR

It's not what you think. Let me explain -

He approaches West, entreating -

MAYOR (CONT'D)

Vampires are pure evil, but these creatures have taught us something vitally important.

Hustin ENTERS from behind West.

The Mayor sees him and keeps talking, keeps luring West further into the room.

It works, West presses in toward him, their positions jockeying as if they are boxers as the Mayor positions West in line with Hustin.

MAYOR (CONT'D)

Blood is full of life-giving properties. Animal blood will do, but human blood - human blood has benefits we are only beginning to discover...

Hustin grabs West from behind and yanks his head to the side, trying to dine.

West struggles against him with little success - except to prevent the meal.

Gordon and Phoebe ENTER from behind West. Phoebe is terrified by the situation and cowers against the wall.

Gordon grabs a nearby wine bottle and smashes Hustin over the head with it.

Hustin releases West as blood - from inside the bottle - streams over Hustin's face and neck.

Yes. The bottles area all full of blood.

Hustin wipes his face off with a hand as he turns on Gordon, sucking on his fingers as he draws them over his mouth.

Gordon's not used to battling vampires. He's taken aback.

The Mayor grabs a pistol-sized crossbow out of his kit, loads it with a wooden stake...

Hustin lands a right cross on Gordon's face and knocks him off balance. He goes reeling into the furniture.

West smashes a chair across Hustin's back.

The Mayor aims, fires - and misses. The small wood stake sails past West's head and buries itself in the wall.

West's head snaps around to it. Who exactly did the Mayor miss?!

Hustin attacks him again fiercely.

Phoebe moves along the wall, hugging it as she tries to keep out of danger.

Gordon is up, a gun aimed at the fighting West and Hustin.

West is trying to beat Hustin; Hustin is trying to eat West.

Gordon shoots and hits Hustin square in the chest.

Hustin reels, recovers, and is enraged. He charges toward Gordon.

Gordon shoots again - two bullets in rapid succession - but stumbles and misses the charging Hustin - but hits the Mayor behind him. Which slows the Mayor down for almost an instant.

Gordon fights back the advances of Hustin with a series of blows -

The Mayor reloads the cross bow

Hustin is knocked into West's flying fists.

The Mayor shoots the cross bow -

- and hits Hustin in the heart.

Hustin falls to his knees, then dies at the Mayor's feet.

As the Sheriff ENTERS from behind the Mayor.

PHOEBE

Father!

The Mayor spins and, seeing the Sheriff, jerks backward as -

- Phoebe jerks out her arm, pointing it at the Sheriff. On her hand is a sterling cannon-shaped ring. She shoots its glass tube, filled with clear liquid, at the Sheriff.

It hits the Sheriff and bursts, releasing a massive blast of steam from holy water on him.

He dies -

- horrifically. That's how vampires die.

The Mayor is straightening his clothes and putting himself back together.

West and Gordon stare at him, breathless.

The fact remains - the Mayor survived the gunshots without damage. West and Gordon know exactly what that means and exchange an acknowledging glance of mutual planning.

The Mayor catches it. Crap!

He grabs the steam-punk revolver out of his kit and swings on West -

As West steps deliberately into the stream of sunlight pouring into the room from the window. He activates his sleeve mechanism -

- its a gun fitted, where the sights would be, with a small round mirror in the back and a Fresno lens in the front. When he points it at the Mayor, the light from the window bounces off the mirror and shoots through the lens -

- and covers the Mayor is a blast of sun light which melts him into a screaming, writhing mess.

He dies.

Finally - the last of them.

West admires the new gun with relief that it worked -

- and nods at Gordon in appreciation.

Gordon acknowledges. It's nothing. All in a day's work.

INT. TRAIN

GORDON

According to Robertson's records, they were experimenting with long-term storage of blood. They thought transfusing healthy blood into a sick person could cure them.

WEST

(wryly)

And they used to think bleeding bad blood from a person would cure them.

He hands Gordon the folded note from his pocket.

WEST (CONT'D)

What do you make of this?

GORDON

(reading)

"Your recent success brings great joy to my heart. I prevail upon you to be evermore on guard, and wary of all strangers that cross your path. The enemy is surely on an exodus to the wild lands of the west in the hopes of unhindered evil. These coming months are ever important in our dutiful work to bring peace, at last, to this land." It's signed "A"

Gordon lowers it, stunned.

GORDON (CONT'D)

Jim, do you know what this is?!

WEST

So, you recognize the handwriting?

GORDON

I most certainly do! And I think the gentlemen at the National Archives will be very interested to see this!

WEST

Artie, it's dated this year - May 1876.

Gordon does a double-take and inspects the note. A dead president it writing letters. He's speechless.

West was hoping for more.

Phoebe ENTERS from the other part of the car. It ends their discussion. She's dressed in a navy colored dress.

PHOEBE

I want to thank you gentlemen for escorting me to Carson City.

West kindly helps her put a long black cloak over her shoulders.

GORDON

Our driver will take you to the station. They're holding the train for you.

WEST

I'm sorry we couldn't escort you all the way to Maryland.

PHOEBE

You've done so much for me already. Getting me out of that awful town...

She is pulling on black gloves.

GORDON

A young lady of your refinement should never have been subject to such things.

She picks up a black umbrella and moves over to the exit door.

PHOEBE

I'm going to join a Civil War aid in her important work trying to learn the fate of all those poor missing soldiers. I feel like I need to give something back - and perhaps be of some service to the government in Washington as well.

GORDON

Rest assured, the west will be all the poorer without your stunning countenance.

West kisses her gloved hand.

WEST

Dear lady, the thought of you in Washington will weigh heavy on our hearts.

PHOEBE

(sweetly)

As it should, gentlemen.

Phoebe puts dark sunglasses on.

And smiles.

(She's a f'ing vampire.)

(And she's neither vapid nor terrified.)

FADE TO BLACK.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

All the characters are named after actual people involved in blood transfusion research or people involved with the start of the American Red Cross. Except "Mollie Smith"... Which is the name of the first victim of a string of unsolved (to this date) of 23 murders of Negro servants in a western town.

The "Civil War Aide" in Maryland is Clara Barton, who late in 1876 - with the aide of some women working with her - started working to get the government to form the American Red Cross.

"Dansville" is the name of the first town (in New York, by the way) to have a chapter of the American Red Cross, where the ARC started.

The description of vampires, and vampire hunting techniques (dismemberment by the axe) are in keeping with those detailed in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" - which was suggested/requested as my inspiration by James Cawley. As is the description of how Phoebe disquises herself/prepares to go into the daylight.