Constantine Page #5

MIDNITE:

You're back early.

JOHN:

I got tired of spending your

money.

(CONTINUED)

23.

CONTINUED:

MIDNITE:

But I'm sure you spent enough.

JOHN:

Well I do have a certain standard

of living.

MIDNITE:

Tell me you found it.

JOHN:

I found the vault.

MIDNITE:

That's not what I asked.

JOHN:

Hey, can I help it if Buddhistmonks don't take bribes?

Midnite strides toward him when John calmly pulls fromhis pocket a small ebony and gold RELIC. It stopsMidnite cold.

JOHN:

Gotcha.

A reluctant grin cracks Midnite's stern features. He

takes the relic in his thick fingers --stares

breathlessly at a gaunt figure bracing itself against acosmic wind.

MIDNITE:

Second century depiction of a

sephiroth in the 4th realm...

JOHN:

Right. So we good here?

Midnite ignores his outstretched palm, slides the relicprecisely onto one of the many rods jutting from theUniversal orrery.

MIDNITE:

It should counter the iconic

plane --

JOHN:

That damn thing's never going tobalance.

Midnite lets go and the complex machine actually startsto move. To turn.

(CONTINUED)

24.

CONTINUED:

John is somewhat intrigued until the newest reliccollides with another and the orrery jams to a halt.

Midnite deflates, stares at John, suspiciously.

MIDNITE:

Must I remind you of what sellingfake relics will do to yourhealth?

JOHN:

It's authentic, Midnite, you justhave the wrong piece. Jesus...

The two have a mini stare-down. John's rigid poker faceis only broken by a cough. Midnite sighs, breaks it off.

JOHN:

What? --I didn't blink --that

was a cough. You never cough?

Midnite reaches into his tuxedo jacket and hands over athick stack of HUNDREDS.

JOHN:

Better not be any Washingtons inhere this time.

MIDNITE:

Why did you cut your trip short?

John stops the counting, actually thinks about it.

JOHN:

I don't know... Just a feeling --

John suddenly spins toward the entrance doors, is stunnedto see --

JOHN:

Balthazar.

Balthazar is behind him. Utterly confident. Chillingly

so.

BALTHAZAR:

We're not still whining aboutManhattan, are we?

John's attempt to disguise his anger fails.

BALTHAZAR:

That expression alone has made myentire night.

(CONTINUED)

25.

CONTINUED:

John takes several steps toward him. Grins. Malevolent.

There's history here.

JOHN:

I'll make your night --I'll

deport your sorry ass right whereyou stand --

MIDNITE:

JOHN.

John stops in his tracks.

JOHN:

It's bad enough that you let thesehalf-breeds in at all but this

piece of sh*t --

BALTHAZAR:

Perks of becoming a primaryinvestor.

JOHN:

What?!

Midnite's eyes say it all --not here, not now.

BALTHAZAR:

Things change, balances shift.

Get used to it, Constantine.

JOHN:

Not while I'm still breathing --

John starts to cough again.

BALTHAZAR:

I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.

John tries to catch his breath, can't. And that scares

him a bit. He tries to hide it, pushes out.

EXT. CLUB MIDNITE

John SLAMS out the exit --coughing. He pulls the Vicks44 from his jacket, struggles with the child protector

cap.

HENNESSEY:

Hey, John.

(CONTINUED)

26.

CONTINUED:

John is surprised to see Hennessey waiting. He chokes,

is about to bust the Vicks 44 bottle. Hennessey grabshold, twists off the cap with one flick. John guzzlesthe syrup.

HENNESSEY:

I'm real sorry about this morning,

John, real sorry. Please don't

hate me for draggin' you intothat. Please don’t...

John can finally breathe.

JOHN:

I don't hate you.

HENNESSEY:

That's good to hear. Real good...

JOHN:

But could you at least wait until

I call for you before you show up?

HENNESSEY:

You didn't call?

JOHN:

Not yet. Jesus, Hennessey, youfreak me out sometimes.

HENNESSEY:

So you want me to go away and comeback?

JOHN:

No. I've got an assignment for you.

HENNESSEY:

Really? What kind of assignment?

JOHN:

The kind you'll have to be soberfor.

HENNESSEY:

Oh God, you want me to surf theether.

He instinctively touches an AMULET around his neck. Four

intersecting crosses.

JOHN:

Come on, you know that exorcismwasn't right.

(CONTINUED)

27.

CONTINUED:

HENNESSEY:

I... I don't have the Sight

anymore.

JOHN:

Don't have it or don't want to use

it?

Hennessey vacillates. This is obviously tough for him.

JOHN:

Just look around. A few days.

You spot anything unusual,

anything --you let me know.

Okay?

John wraps an arm around his shoulder like a good buddy,

then reaches behind his neck --

JOHN:

It'll be like old times.

--and unclips the amulet from Hennessey's neck. That

unnerves the big guy. John drops it in Hennessey'spocket.

JOHN:

Just for a few days.

HENNESSEY:

Okay, okay... for you, John. Like

old times. Right.

Hennessey takes one last sip from his drink, hands thebottle over. John downs the rest. Nods.

INT. ST. ANTHONY'S CHURCH -CONFESSION BOOTH -NIGHT

Angela sits inside.

ANGELA:

I killed a man today. Another

one.

FATHER GARRET sits on the other side of the mesh window.

FATHER GARRET:

I'm sorry, Angela.

ANGELA:

Most cops go twenty years withoutfiring their gun. Not me. I

always seem to be in the wrongplace at the wrong time.

28.

INT. APARTMENT BUILDING -SERIES OF SHOTS -NIGHT

Angela arrives home. Pours milk for a cat. Lets her

hair down. Slips off her shoes.

ANGELA (V.O.)

I didn't even see his face. I

just pulled the trigger and hewent away. Just like all the

others...

Angela in the SHOWER --trying to wash off the guilt.

FATHER GARRET (V.O.)

These feelings are natural in yourline of work, Angela. I'd be

worried if you didn't have them.

Angela now in a recliner, cat in her lap. She's tired.

Eyes are heavy.

FATHER GARRET (V.O.)

But you have to be strong. You

can't allow your faith to beovershadowed by guilt.

ANGELA (V.O.)

I'm trying.

Her eyes close.

ANGELA (V.O.)

I'm trying real hard.

INT. RAVENSCAR -NIGHT

Angela's eyes open. An Angela whose frightened featuresare dripping with a fever sweat.

She's in a hospital gown, stares around a corner.

Janitor polishes the floor in the distance. A nurse

checks off charts in the f.g. And right between the twodarts Angela, unseen by anyone.

EXT. ROOFTOP -NIGHT

A metal fire door swings open and Angela bursts out -breathing

deep. She runs across the tar roof, almostafraid to look back.

She gets to the ledge, steps up. A BOTTLE in the wayfall --FOLLOW IT DOWN TO the -

29.

COURTYARD:

--where it SHATTERS --

INT. GROUND FLOOR HOSPITAL ROOM

The sound has drawn the attention of BARRY (10) lying inbed. He moves up and stares out the window --sees the

broken glass in the courtyard. He scans up the buildingand spots a FIGURE standing on the roof.

ROOFTOP -WIDER

Chilling April air flutters Angela's gown, vaporizes herbreath. Tears stream down her cheeks as she contemplatesthe unthinkable.

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