Blade Page #11

---

Whistler finishes arming the explosive device. It BEEPS. He turns

back to Blade and Karen, referring to a handheld navigation device.

WHISTLER:

There's a subway line due East of

here. We'd best make tracks.

INT. PEARL'S BEDCHAMBER, ARCHIVES - NIGHT

An EXPLOSION rips through the bedchamber, mushrooming outward --

INT. BLACK PEARL - NIGHT

The EXPLOSION continues expanding, sending tables, drinks, and

zaibatsu clientele flying.

INT. TUNNEL - NIGHT

As the group splashes through the water, a FIREBALL chases them down

the tunnel. They duck into an alcove, narrowly avoiding the flames.

Whistler WHOOPS with excitement, loving every minute of it. But his

triumph is short-lived, for now we hear --

-- a deafening chorus of HIGH-PITCHED VAMPIRE WAR CRIES coming from

behind. Karen hazards a look back --

THE VAMPIRES:

surge down the tunnel like a pack of hungry wolves on high-octane.

There must be a dozen of them now and Quinn is right in the lead.

Our trio hustles along, but Whistler stumbles, tumbling and sliding

down a washout. The steep incline of the washout makes it virtually

impossible for Whistler to climb back up to the main tunnel.

KAREN:

Whistler!

WHISTLER:

Go on, I'll be fine!

Karen hesitates, but Blade yanks her down the tunnel --

BLADE:

He can take care of himself! GO!!!

They race through the twisting warren of tunnels, taking one turn

after another, the vampires hot on their heels --

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - NIGHT

Blade and Karen stumble out into a larger subway tunnel, which widens

into a station stop up ahead. We can see the RED TAIL-LIGHTS of a

train just pulling away from the platform -- Blade and Karen re-

double their efforts, lungs burning, legs pumping like mad. Just as

the train enters the next tunnel --

-- they leap, dragging themselves up onto the back of the rear-

passenger car. Blade SMASHES his fist through the emergency exit

window, then lifts Karen up, helping her climb through into the

car --

-- but the vampires are still coming! Crawling along the tunnel walls

on all fours, limbs a blur, claws striking the concrete and spewing

out sparks. Closing fast. Too fast.

QUINN:

springs forward, snagging Blade's ankle with his "good" hand. The

vampire's weight threatens to haul Blade down. Blade reaches to his

back-scabbard, unsheathes his sword --

THUNK! Blade brings the sword down on Quinn's good arm, cutting it

off at the wrist! Quinn falls to the tracks, tumbling head over heels

back into the darkness --

THE AMPUTATED HAND,

which continues to clutch at Blade's ankle, starts to melt. With a

cry of disgust, Blade kicks the thing away. He turns and climbs

through the window --

INT. SUBWAY CAR - NIGHT

Karen helps Blade inside. He sinks to the floor of the otherwise

deserted car, exhausted. He's looking ashen now. The whites of his

eyes are shot through with red.

Karen gets a good look at Blade's wounds -- the front of his jacket

is soaked in blood. She reaches for him --

KAREN:

You're hurt --

BLADE:

Nothing that won't heal by dawn.

Blade reaches into his jacket and pulls out the small, gas-powered

pistol-injector we saw Whistler inject him with earlier. He tries to

load one of the ampoules into it, but because of his wounds, he's not

having much luck --

BLADE:

(frustrated)

I need help with this --

Karen nods, inserting the ampoule into the gun. Blade shrugs off his

jacket, holds out his arm. Karen pauses --

KAREN:

What am I injecting you with?

BLADE:

(weakly)

Serum -- it's a human hemoglobin

substitute.

Karen locates a vein, presses the injector against it -- Blade

tenses, grits his teeth, fights to keep his body thrashing as the

serum enters his bloodstream. He grips the wall behind him --

actually digs his nails into the metal surface -- the agony he's

going through is excruciating, like nothing we could imagine.

When it's over, he slumps forward, spent, vulnerable, flushed with

sweat. Karen stares at him --

KAREN:

You're one of them, aren't you?

Blade turns away from Karen, filled with self-loathing.

BLADE:

Not quite. I'm a hybrid. Half-human,

half-vampire.

Off Karen's surprised reaction, we --

CUT TO:

INT. WHISTLER'S WORKSHOP - NIGHT

The loading elevator CLANGS to a stop. Blade throws the gate open.

Karen helps him out. Now that they're safely back, the last of

Blade's strength seems to dissipate.

WHISTLER:

is waiting for them, sitting at a workbench.

WHISTLER:

What took you so long?

BLADE:

Don't even start, old man.

Blade throws his sword aside, then moves off into the shadows,

disappearing beyond the curtains. Karen looks to Whistler --

KAREN:

Why didn't you tell me the truth

about him?

WHISTLER:

We weren't sure we could trust you.

Whistler sighs, removing his glasses.

WHISTLER:

Blade's mother was attacked by a

vampire while she was pregnant.

Ultimately, she died, but her unborn

child lived. Unfortunately, he'd

undergone certain genetic changes

while in the womb --

Whistler reaches for a pack of cigarettes, pulls one out. He thumbs a

match, fires up. Takes a long drag --

WHISTLER:

I found Blade when he was thirteen.

He'd been living on the streets,

feeding off the homeless. Apparently

the Thirst manifested itself at

puberty --

(beat)

I took him for one of them at first,

almost killed him, too. But then I

realized what he was.

CUT TO:

EXT. EDGEWOOD TOWERS, PENTHOUSE - NIGHT

Frost stands at the window, looking out at the glimmering cityscape

before him.

INT. FROST'S PENTHOUSE - NIGHT

Frost turns away from window. Quinn, Mercury, and the other vampires

from the Black Pearl stand before him. Quinn cradles his amputated

stump with his newly grown arm.

QUINN:

He took my f***ing hand! Again!

FROST:

You seem to be in the habit of losing

them fairly often, Quinn. Maybe the

amputee lifestyle just suits you.

The other vampires laugh. Quinn stares them into silence.

QUINN:

We need to find him, tonight.

Frost claps a hand on Quinn's shoulder.

FROST:

Down, boy. Blade's not going anywhere.

I promise. Right now, though, we've

more pressing business --

(off Mercury's look)

It's time Dragonetti paid the piper.

CUT TO:

INT. WHISTLER'S WORKSHOP - NIGHT

Whistler studies Karen, exhaling another lungful of smoke.

WHISTLER:

Blade's unique, you know. A one in a

billion anomaly. He can withstand

sunlight, garlic, even silver. But he

still has the Thirst.

KAREN:

What happens if he doesn't take the

serum?

WHISTLER:

The Thirst overcomes him, just like

the others. It's not something he can

control.

(sighs)

The problem is, time's running out.

His body's starting to reject the

serum. And so far, all my efforts to

find a cure have ended in failure --

KAREN:

No offense, Whistler, but you're not

exactly working with state of the art

equipment here. You might have missed

something.

WHISTLER:

(pointedly)

Which is why you're here. We could use

someone with your experience.

A beat passes between them and Karen knows where she stands now. In

for a penny, in for a pound. Whistler reaches for Blade's sword.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes