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PAUL:

I don't see --

ROBERT holds up a hand.

ROBERT:

A village protected from outsiders by a mysterious lord. The girl is to be sacrificed to this lord --

PAUL:

My report didn't say anything about anyone being sacrificed.

ROBERT:

Then why was she running away?

DAVID:

He has a point.

ROBERT:

She runs away and seeks transportation to America. You did say her first words were to ask whether or not she was in the US?

PAUL nods.

ROBERT:

Instead, she is beaten and raped and thrown into the sea to drown. Just by chance, she is fished out of the water by a drunken college kid who has decided to take his fiancee for a moonlight boat ride. She arrives at our doorstep nearer dead than alive and, subsequent blood analysis will reveal, HIV positive. All those facts are true?

PAUL:

Yes, but her running away doesn't prove he's a vampire.

ROBERT holds up his hand again.

ROBERT:

True. But now it starts to get interesting. The girl is here five days with almost no change in her condition. On the fifth night

(he taps his finger on the photo)

She is bitten by... something. Six hours, six hours, later she has nearly recovered. Her pulse is strong and regular, her color excellent, even her bruises seem to be suddenly fading. It's as if she's been taking massive doses of pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals which don't exist, by the way. A blood sample taken that morning reveals a radically different pathology. Something has been introduced into her blood that has strengthened it someway. Almost as if she has received a complete transfusion. Which she has not. Correct?

PAUL nods again.

ROBERT:

As if that wasn't puzzling enough, she no longer has any trace, not even a trace, mind you, of HIV antibodies in her blood. But she does have...

(he holds up the serology report)

strange, unidentifiable bits of matter that weren't there before. I checked.

(he looks at the other two doctors questioningly)

Now you tell me your conclusion.

PAUL:

But vampires don't exist.

ROBERT:

Facts are facts. The evidence speaks for itself.

DAVID:

He's right you know.

PAUL:

(dubious)

You agree with him?

DAVID:

How could I not. How can you not?

PAUL:

(reluctantly)

Okay. For the sake of argument, let's say this thing, this vampire, exists. Could it have such properties in its blood or saliva or whatever?

ROBERT:

I should think it would have to.

DAVID:

And it could transfer this stuff to its victim?

ROBERT:

Vampire bats are known to return to the same victim over and over. Why? Suppose when they bite a victim they inject them with something that... cleans their blood. Wouldn't a clean victim be more attractive than a dirty one?

DAVID:

And this stuff he injected into her, whatever it was, created an immunity to HIV?

ROBERT:

Immunity? This was eradication. There isn't a single trace of the virus or any antibodies in her system. It's as if she'd never been infected.

PAUL:

And these changes were brought about by that bite?

ROBERT:

What other explanation is there?

DAVID:

What's the agent that brought about all the changes in Isabel?

ROBERT shakes his head.

ROBERT:

That's just it. I don't know. From the changes wrought in the blood, I'd say it was some sort of virus. It certainly acted viral. Normal blood cells have been mutated, rather subtle changes actually. For one thing, it seems the hemoglobin molecule is slightly larger but with double the charge.

DAVID:

Which means it can carry twice as much oxygen.

ROBERT:

Precisely.

DAVID:

Thus the dramatic improvement in color and the fading bruises.

ROBERT:

Yes.

PAUL:

And with increased oxygen to the heart and internal organs comes the accelerated healing and recovery of the body overall.

ROBERT:

It would seem so.

PAUL:

And the HIV virus?

ROBERT:

There's no sign of the virus or its antibodies in her blood at all. Nor is there any sign of the instrument of this miracle. No foreign bodies whatsoever. I did find some bits and pieces of something, as I mentioned, but I don't know what they are. They might be part of the carrier, or maybe even detritus from the annihilated HIV antibodies. Whatever this thing is, it's fast. It must be very active.

(A gleam comes into his eyes.)

If it could be isolated, it would be the discovery of the century. A cure for AIDS.

PAUL:

You can't be serious. This is just one case. And unproven at that.

ROBERT:

(tapping the serology report)

This is proof enough for me.

PAUL:

But you can't --

ROBERT:

What I need is a sample from the source.

PAUL:

A source we know little or nothing about.

ROBERT:

A situation I intend to remedy as soon as possible.

PAUL:

How?

ROBERT:

I don't know,

(waits a beat)

Yet.

CUT TO:

EXT. A SMALL BOAT AT SEA. IT IS DARK. -- NIGHT

The same man seen in Isabel's room walks slowly across the deck of the boat. He enters the hatch and descends into a cabin where one of the abductors is sleeping.

Alejandro's face twists in a furious snarl, fangs bared.

CUT TO:

INT. PAUL'S OFFICE -- LATE AFTERNOON

PAUL is sitting at his desk working when there is a soft knock on the door.

PAUL:

Come in.

MAGGIE LEWELLING is thirtyish, attractive and very professional looking. She is carrying a small overnight bag. She closes the door behind her as she speaks.

MAGGIE:

Doctor Thorsson?

PAUL:

Yes. How can I help you?

MAGGIE:

I'm Maggie Lewelling, from CDC. We talked on the phone.

PAUL:

Yes, of course. Have a seat, doctor.

MAGGIE:

(taking the offered chair and setting her bag beside her)

Please. Call me Maggie.

PAUL:

Of course, then, Maggie. And please, call me Paul. What can I do for you?

MAGGIE:

You were pretty vague on the phone.

PAUL:

Yes, well, I'm sorry about that. But you see --

MAGGIE:

You said you had come across a serum that might --

PAUL:

I didn't say serum, exactly.

MAGGIE:

You didn't say anything, exactly, except that it was very important we meet. I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't mentioned the magic word.

PAUL:

(stalling)

AIDS. Yes. What I meant --

MAGGIE:

Really, doctor, have you found something or not?

PAUL:

I may have found a... cure.

MAGGIE:

For AIDS?

PAUL:

For the HIV virus, anyway.

MAGGIE:

You've discovered a cure for the virus?

PAUL:

I think so. But I'd like you to look at some test results.

MAGGIE:

(getting excited, looking about the office)

You said you were an ER physician? Where do you do your research? How do you find the time?

PAUL:

I don't actually do any research. It's kind of --

MAGGIE:

(not listening)

Is it gene combs. I always thought that was the key.

PAUL:

It's not genetics. Look. It's kind of hard to explain. Let me show you the lab reports.

(looks at her bag on the floor)

But you've had a long trip. Perhaps you'd rather rest up. You can see the reports in the morning.

MAGGIE:

Right out of the blue, you inform me you've found a cure for AIDS --

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