EP #318: FEEDING THE BEAST
Forever Knight Season 1

Forever Knight and it's characters are the property of James Parriot
and Sony/Tristar. This transcript is made available solely for the
enjoyment of fans of Forever Knight. Reproduction of this for
commercial perposes is expressly forbidden. 

CHARACTERS in order of appearance
Man, later identified as SKIP, an addict
Woman, later identified as MONICA Howard, his sponsor
HILLARY, a co-ordinator of the 12 Step Program
Don SCHANKE, detective
NICK Knight, detective
STONETREE, Nick's boss
NATALIE Lambert, coroner, Nick's mortal friend
ANGIE, a member of the 12 Step Program
JANETTE, Nick's vampire friend


TEASER
[ A back room. A man and woman are kissing. It's too dark to see them,
they are silhouetted against a frosted window]

Man: I...ah ...I oughta go.

Woman: No

Man: I'm first up.

Woman: They'll get somebody else

Man: [pulls away] No...no, I can't... I can't do this anymore

Woman: What do you mean?

Man: I don't know..I..uh..it's sick you know?

[Man leaves. Woman continues to lean against the counter of the
kitchenette]

HILLARY: [ enters, silhouetted against door of the kitchen] What are
you doing?

MONICA: I was just, I was just....

HILLARY: You were with  someone in here.

MONICA: [shakes head] No I wasn't.

HILLARY: Who was it... Skip?

MONICA: I said I was alone.

HILLARY: Okay, okay, fine. I just thought I heard a man's voice. Come
on, the meeting's starting, let's go. [HILLARY turns and both leave by
the door, into the hall proper]

[Meeting hall, SKIP is standing behind the podium on the small stage.
Behind  him are two large posters with the twelve steps for recovery 
listed on them]

SKIP:  [to audience] Hello, my name is Skip and I'm an addict.

Audience:[together] Hi, Skip.

SKIP: Uhh, I was in love [beat]  with the bottle. We slept together 
and we worked together and, uh, we got fired together. And, uh, if
booze was my demon, then Twelve Steps to Recovery has been my angel of
mercy. It didn't happen overnight. and, uh, I never would have made it
without my sponsor [to MONICA] Monica?  [steps down as audience claps]

[Outside the building after the meeting, SKIP is walking toward his
car. He is being watched, by a person unknown. He gets into his car,
sees a paper bag on the passenger seat. He picks it up, opens it and
pulls out a bottle of booze.

SKIP:  [to himself] What is this. Some kind of sick joke?

[Unknown person walks up to SKIPs car on the passenger side, looking in
open window. A gun is fired. The bullet goes through the bottle,
shattering it. SKIP is shot. The person flicks a lighter, and throws it,
flaming, into the car. Alcohol catches fire immediately.  Pull back to
show the shooter walking away, the interior of the car in flames.]

END TEASER

ACT 1

[Crime scene: uniforms are wandering around, cop cars parked
haphazardly]
[SCHANKE is interviewing a witness]

SCHANKE: Your name please?

Woman: Angie W.

SCHANKE [laughing]:  Angie W., Tricia S., Tony D.?  Don't you people
have any last names?

Woman: I heard the gunshot. I saw the fire, just like a hundred other
people. All Right? Can I go now?

SCHANKE: Yeah, yeah, you can go.  [beat] Yeah, but first, uh...can I
bum a smoke, please? 

Woman: Sure 

SCHANKE: Thanks. I really appreciate it.

Woman: All right. Here. [Woman gives Schanke a cigarette, then walks
off]

[SCHANKE lights the cigarette and takes a long, long drag]
MONICA: [walking up as SCHANKE exhales] Having a rough time? [beat]
Nasty, nasty habit. 

SCHANKE: I'm handling it.

MONICA: That's what they all say

SCHANKE: Seriously  I'm just down to one a day. A pack a month, tops.
Really.

MONICA: And um, how many more do you bum?

SCHANKE: A few. [beat] And you must be...Clara B? Right? 

MONICA: Clara Barton? No.  Monica. Monica Howard.

SCHANKE [laughs]. Your the first one who's given me a full name.

MONICA: Well, the 12 Steps are anonymous and talking to the police is
not part of the program

SCHANKE: So, uh, how well did you know Skip Holly?

MONICA: I was his sponsor. He was, um,  a really nice guy. You know, he
was doing really well with his recovery. 

SCHANKE: Did he have any, um, friends, enemies? Any relationships?

MONICA: Probably all three. You know, I don't think I'm much help. We
just talked about booze. That's it. 
....
SCHANKE: Thanks, thanks. If I have any more questions....?

MONICA: Yeah, you can reach me here, detective....

SCHANKE: Schanke, Don Schanke

MONICA: Thanks.  

SCHANKE: Monica, if you don't mind me asking, what was your, uh....

MONICA: Addiction? 

SCHANKE: Yeah

MONICA: I do mind. [walks away]

SCHANKE: [to himself] I was hoping she'd say balding married men.

SCENE: 
Establishing shot [Exterior of Nick's loft:]

[NICK is painting angrily, in broad sweeping strokes. The painting is 
all in shades of black. Phone rings. Nick's looks at it but ignores it,
reaching for a bottle]

[Answering machine: Yeah, Nick Knight. I'm either in bed or
incommunicado. So, if you want to leave your name and number, go ahead.

SCHANKE[ VO on the speaker ] Hey Nick, got any bad habits? 

Cut to SCENE [Police Station]
NICK:  [to Stonetree as they walk along a hall in the station]You want
me to go undercover as what??

STONETREE: As a member of the twelve step program

NICK:  Aww come on, captain.

STONETREE: It makes sense,  you weren't at the crime scene. Nobody
knows you're a cop. [leans against a desk]

NICK: There's a bit of a catch-22 here, Captain

STONETREE: I know - your vacation. Look, I wouldn't have called ya in
if I didn't need you. [to Schanke who approaches] Tell im.

SCHANKE: You're stonewalling Nick. Nobody wants to say diddly about 
the victim because it's part of  their code or something. It's a dead
end!

NICK: Unless I become one of them. 

STONETREE: Got any bad habits? Maybe it'll do you some good.


Cut to Scene: [at the morgue: Nat's lab]
NICK: Nat, what do you think of 12 Step programs?

NATALIE: [carefully] I think they can be very helpful. For some mortal
addictions.

NICK: How about the more exotic ones? 

NATALIE: You know my theory about that. It's the blood that keeps you
from coming over.

NICK: [whispers] I try, Nat . I really do. I really try.  [beat] Do you
think 12 Step can make me give it up/?

NATALIE: No one can answer that for you  Nick. [giving him a playful
poke]It wouldn't hurt you to give it a shot.


Cut to Scene:  [a 12 Step Meeting NICK is in the audience listening to:
]

MONICA: When I came here three years ago, I was on my knees almost
literally, I felt like a complete and total failure as a human being. I
hated myself . I couldn't see any way out of my addiction. Essentially
its like feeding the beast. This big, ugly greedy beast that demands to
be fed over and over [Pan over the audience and hold on  NICK and clips
of NICK, attacking and feeding] and over again. 


Cut to Scene:  [After the meeting NICK goes over to the small table
that has the sign in sheet on a clipboard. NICK takes the sign in sheet
and stuffs it into his jacket pocket]

[People are milling around, leaving the meeting. MONICA sees NICK,
looking around, lost. She's carrying a clipboard]
MONICA. Hi, is this your first meeting? 

NICK:  Yeah, actually it is. My names Nick.

MONICA: I'm Monica. Hi. 

NICK: Your words were an inspiration. Thanks

HILLARY: [walking up to them] Yeah she's great, isn't she.  

MONICA: This is Hillary. Hillary, this is Nick

NICK; [to Hillary, shaking her hand]  Hillary, it's a pleasure

Hillary:  Hi. Listen, if this is your first time, you shouldn't feel
pressured to join this group. There's others in the city you might want
to check out.

MONICA: Hillary's right. It's really important that you trust the
people you are going to be looking to help you.

Henry: [interrupting] And who'd you rather  look to for help than
Monica ? You come here to get off drugs, you meet Monica. That's a
pretty good deal. I'd marry her tomorrow if she'd give me the word.

MONICA: Henry. Settle down. You're going to scare Nick off.

Henry: Yeah, that's the idea , less competition. [to MONICA, privately]
We'll, um, talk later, right?.

MONICA: [to Henry]Yeah. [to NICK] I'm his sponsor. 

Hillary: Look why don't I take you over to Angie. She's got books and
pamphlets 

MONICA: Nick, it's going to be rough. We're all here for you and if you
need any help, just call me, Okay? . [writes down her telephone number
on a piece of scratch paper and gives it to him]  Anytime.

NICK: Thanks. Where do I start?

MONICA: [Speaking as though she is reading something]First step is
admitting to someone that you love and trust that you're powerless
before your addiction.

NICK: That's not going to be easy. 

MONICA: It's going to hurt like hell. But the program works. It really
does.


Cut to SCENE [outside a door of an apartment house or office]
[Henry is approaching a door with keys in his hand. He hears someone
coming behind him. He turns, recognises the person:]

Henry: Hi there!

Person ............knocks him down and then shoots a hypo into his arm

COMMERCIAL BREAK

ACT II
[At Henry's crime scene. STONETREE  and NICK are talking]
STONETREE: So how do we know it's the same killer?

NICK: Similar MO. Kills with the victim's....choice of  drug.

SCHANKE: [to uniform cop] Lewis, mind if I bum one? Thanks 
[SCHANKE walks up to the others]

SCHANKE: [to NICK] If the killer knows their addictions....

NICK: He knows them pretty well.

NATALIE: Maybe very well. _If_ you know what I mean...

NICK: When?

NATALIE:  Fairly close to the time of death.

NICK: After the meeting.

NATALIE Yup

STONETREE:  How about the last victim?

NATALIE Uh huh, That's why I checked.

STONETREE: Okay. Well let's make some connections. Do we have, the, uh,
member's last names?

NICK: Yeah. And the telephone numbers. [Gives them the paper he took].
Sign in sheet from the meeting Though I've got to tell you , I feel a
bit like Judas.

[STONETREE leaves and group]

SCHANKE: Why? It's not like you're one of them.

NICK:  Schank. Um, what would you say if...what would you say if I told
you I was an addict.

SCHANKE: [Laughs] Yeah right, and I'm the Maharishi.

NICK: Hey, wait, wait, I'm serious. I'm talking  to you here. OK?
Seriously.

SCHANKE: An addict?....Wait wait, we're not talking about the red wine
in the refrigerator are we? 'Cause... no, no, no absolutely not! You're
perfectly all right, Nick, you're perfectly fine, absolutely not, Nick
trust me [walks off laughing]

NICK: [to NATALIE] So much for step number 1

NATALIE: Yeah? What's step number two? 

Cut to Scene : [Loft: NICK is taking his bottles of blood out of the
fridge and pouring them into the kitchen sink.. He pulls the cork of
the last bottle with his teeth, spits it out. He holds the last bottle
to his lips, about to take a drink from it. He decides not to and pours
it down the sink, too]


******* Candaian version only****************
SCENE: [fantasy]
 [NICK is up on the platform of the Twelve Step meeting hall. The hall
is empty. The two big posters of the 12 Steps which stand behind the
podium have been replaced by something similar, but in Arabic-like
characters]

NICK: [to the empty seats] Hi, my name's Nick. And I'm an addict. It's
the hunger that drives me. [beat] And it's not for , um, for booze, or
crack, or junk. It's for um...

[Either NICK is trembling hard enough to shake the podium or the podium
itself begins to shake. Then blood starts to pour out of cracks in the
wood, and runs down the pedestal]

NICK: I drink blood so that I can live forever.

LACROIX enters, dressed in black. He is carrying MONICA in his arms.
She is dressed in a long white gown. Lacroix walks slowly down the
aisle]

LACROIX: What's so terrible about that?

MONICA: [in LACROIX's arms] You have to fight it, Nick. You don't have
to listen to him.

LACROIX: She's right, Nicholas, don't listen to me. Listen to your
hunger. Listen to the beast in your veins, calling to you.

MONICA: [over  heartbeat] I can help you, Nick . I'm here for you

LACROIX: Who can help your hunger;  your craving for the warm sweet
taste of blood.

MONICA: You can beat it, Nick

[the podium continues to shake as more and more blood pours out of it]

LACROIX: [walking up to NICK] Surrender. [beat] Yield to your thirst 

[NICK vamps out, snarling.  Comes to MONICA, and bites her. Clips of
other women he has killed]
*******End of Cdn Version****

Cut to SCENE:
Nick's loft: NICK is frantically pouring the last dregs of the almost
empty  bottles into one bottle. He almost drinks, then looks around ,
throws the bottle against the wall. He reaches frantically for the
phone..]

SCENE
[In a booth in a diner.]

NICK: [NICK has a coffee cup in front of him, untouched] Is it always
this bad?

MONICA: [seated across from him] Sometimes its worse. [beat] Our worst
victims are ourselves, you know.

NICK:  [ waitress in a pink uniform puts a plate of French fries and a
squeeze bottle of ketchup in front of him] Not with me.[Nick drowns his
French fries with ketchup]

MONICA: Its like...walking through a door for the first time. You might
fall thirteen stories onto the concrete, but you have to trust that the
pain means that you're getting better.

[NICK picks up a soggy French fry with distaste, then eats it. He keeps
his hand close to his mouth and looks like he is about to throw up.
Monica watches curiously.]

Monica: What is it?  What?

NICK : ] I...I'uh,.... [looks up to her, smiling] I just fell thirteen
stories and it didn't hurt a bit.

MONICA: [Laughs]

NICK: You help  a lot.

MONICA: Thank you. That makes me feel really good. These days that's a
rare emotion for me. 

NICK: The murders.

MONICA: Yeah.  Skip and Henry. You met Henry at the meeting.

NICK: You were his sponsor, right? 

MONICA: Yeah, I sponsored both of them. This whole thing... is so
bizarre. You know, you get really close to people and then they die and
... It's...[fades out]

NICK: How close Monica?

MONICA: It's a standing hard-line rule. No romance between sponsors and
members. And frankly ,  I find the question...

NICK" I didn't mean to pry. I just need to know. Establish the rules, I
guess. [beat] I've never accepted help from anyone.

MONICA: Of course, trust is earned, not given. It takes time to build.
You take as much time as you need, Nick. I just want you to know that
I'm here fore you. 'Kay?

NICK: Thanks.

[Exterior of police station]
[SCENE: bull pen of the police station ]
SCHANKE [to NATALIE]Every where you go you've got  people telling you
what's wrong with you. I mean, ya buy more'n a six-pack of beer  and
the guy behind the counter is giving you the fish-eye.

NICK: [as he walks up to them] Or a pack of cigarettes.

SCHANKE: Exactly! Why should I feel guilty about buying a pack of
cigarettes every now and then? I mean,  I don't smoke like a chimney. I
gave it up. But every once in a while, I oughta be able to take a puff
without every one looking at me like I've got "property of Betty Ford"
tattooed on my forehead.

NATALIE: But you don't have a problem

SCHANKE: See? You're doing it. No, no, I definitely and emphatically do
not have a problem  [Looking at NICK] And neither does Nick. [SCHANKE
walks over to a filing cabinet]

NATALIE: [to NICK] Hey, hey, wait a minute! You look great! [beat] Your
cheeks! They actually look rosy!

NICK: [Happily] Must be the French fries

NATALIE: You ate French fries!?

NICK: [whispering in Nat's ear] With lots of ketchup.

NATALIE: That's incredible!

SCHANKE: [at filing cabinet] Hey, am I missing something here? I had
three falafel's for lunch yesterday; did I get this kind of reception? 

NICK: I guess I'm in recovery

NATALIE: Certainly seems to agree with you.

NICK: Monica's been a great help. I dunno, but I think this is it, Nat.
I'm not sure, I just....

NATALIE: Just do me a favour, OK? Don't get your hopes up too high

NICK: A little jealousy perhaps? 

NATALIE: No.... No, just a little realism.

[STONETREE enters]
STONETREE: Whatja get on the last victim?

NATALIE: [to STONETREE] From the angle of the arm wound, the killer is
right-handed  Also I found identical skin cells under both the victim's
fingernails.

SCHANKE: Two backscratchers. I see a pattern here.

STONETREE:  Any of the women linked to both victims?

NICK:  Monica Howard. They both had her as their sponsor.

STONETREE: Did you get a sponsor yet?

NICK: Monica Howard.


SCENE  [at the Meeting hall People milling around and taking their
seats prior to start of meeting. NICK and Angie sit side by side]

HILLARY: [generally]Okay, if everyone could take a seat, we'll get the
meeting started

Angie: [seated next to NICK ]I don't think there's a better sponsor in
the city. I was a mess when I came in here, but Monica?...she guided me
through. Just, suddenly seemed to make life worth living , you know? 

NICK: She seems to have that sort of magical  effect on people.

Angie: Yeah. She truly does.

HILLARY:[to audience]  All right.  Welcome. Let's start this out right.
Is there anyone here who has anything they'd like to share with us?

[NICK gets to his feet]
NICK: Hi, my name's Nick, [beat] and I'm an addict

Audience: Hi Nick.

NICK: Uh, well it's been three days, since I stopped abusing. (beat)
I'm still alive. [audience claps. NICK sits down]

******* Canadain Version******
SCENE [Exterior of the building after the meeting] 
[NICK gets into his car, drives off. MONICA follows him in her car.
NICK looks at his rear-view mirror, sees her following, drives to a
dead end street and stops. He gets out and goes to her car]

NICK: You've been following me.

MONICA: I, uhh... Do you think we can talk? 
*******end Cdn version*****

SCENE: [In Nick's loft NICK is making coffee]
MONICA: I was so proud of you at the meeting tonight

NICK: I'm making real progress because of you. 

MONICA: It's the connection that we've made. I think it comes through
that.

NICK: You've connected with a lot of people. You seem to have a talent
[turns and gives MONICA a mug of coffee]

MONICA: [Taking the mug]Yeah, but...with us I think it's a little
different. I have, um, this sense about you. You're on the edge. A very
sharp edge. Like me. I guess it makes me feel really close to you
[Takes a drink of coffee]

NICK: That's why we have to fight so hard. 

MONICA: Mnnn. Yeah.

MONICA: Wow .... [walks over to Nick's painting. It's still all mostly
black but now has wide red slashes through it] A work in progress.

NICK: Yeah. It's my beast.

MONICA: Ah, the beast within. It's a good description for it, isn't it?
[beat] The way it gnaws at you ....the way it chews your insides.

NICK: Yeah, it's a good description [they're holding hands]

MONICA: Sometimes, though, it gets to be too much  Too much to hold in
and you just  wanna  .....give it a rest, just... say what the hell, 
just let it out.

[MONICA starts turning on to NICK] 

NICK: [laughs]That's why you have to control yourself.

MONICA: I'm not so sure about that. [ kisses NICK] I'm really not so
sure.

NICK:  Not sure.

MONICA: It's just so hard to be sure all the time. I'm.... [kisses
NICK]

NICK: Ah Monica.  Go home. Come on, I need my sponsor.

MONICA: I need you, too. I need to be close to you [ MONICA holds his
head and puts her head against his] I've been dreaming about you. When
I wake up and I'm reaching for you and you're....I can't believe you're
not there. [kiss again]

NICK: Monica [NICK breaks off the kiss]

MONICA: You're here with me now. 

NICK: Go home.  Go home.

MONICA: Don't you get self righteous with me. You hear me? 

NICK: I'm trying to recover, Monica.[NICK walks away and sits down on
sofa. MONICA follows him and leans over him caressing his face]

MONICA: C'mon, Nick. Recovery is just the spaces between fixes. It's
not like doing something about the need once in a while is going to
make it any stronger. God knows, the need can't get any stronger.

NICK: Monica, don't do this to me. Okay. Don't do this to yourself.

MONICA: Just a little warmth.  That's all I need. How am I supposed to
get the strength to recover if I don't get any relief?  I helped you
with your addiction. Why can't you help me with mine?

NICK: Go home! [NICK stands up , turns away]

MONICA: Nick. Please, please, please, please.

NICK: Go.

MONICA: [Backs away from him. shouting] Why do you all have to be the
same, huh? Coming after me, bleeding with your addictions. God forbid I
should weaken for a fraction of an instant. Does that make me a
monster? [beat]  It never. Goes. Away, Nick.  Our beasts are on our
backs forever. There's no magic bullet, there's no cure. And you better
learn how to carry your beast on your back.  [walks toward the elevator
door , turns to NICK and in a different voice..] I'm gonna ... go get
some help now. With or without you. [toys with her  hair] And, it's
gonna feel really really good..[Opens elevator door enters it, turns
and looks back at him as the door closes]

[NICK is alone in the loft A ghostly LACROIX looks down at NICK from
the upper level. He has a bottle in his hand, which he tosses towards
NICK. NICK flinches, but there's no bottle]

LACROIX: This is the humanity you seek? This is your mortal strength ? 
[beat] I told you,  Nicholas, you're wasting your time. [beat] Come on
Nicholas, where is it? The last bottle. Think,. where did you hide it?
Think 

[LACROIX laughs as the phone rings, and starts playing the pre-recorded
message. He disappears, laughing]

SCHANKE: (VO) Yo, Nick. I just got some news about Monica Howard. Brace
yourself. She's got a rap sheet. That's right, for giving massages at
the Windsor Arms hotel. She's been busted three times. Last one was 
two months ago.  Can you beat it? A love junkie. Stonetree wants her
brought in for questioning, and guess who drew the gig? You did, you
lucky bastard. [more seriously] And, uh, by the way, earlier, what I
said about the addiction stuff? [NICK has found the last bottle, hidden
in the fireplace. He drinks] Stricken from the record, pal. I
apologise. you're my partner and I'll take you  any way I can get you.
Bye.[rings off]

NICK: [In front of the fireplace, to himself] Good.[drinks again]

COMMERCIAL BREAK

ACT III

[Interior, the Raven. People are dancing , noticeably a thin woman in a
lacy black dress, with goth makeup. NICK is sitting by himself, 
wearing his black drover's coat, at a corner table with a bottle in
front of him The Night Calls My Name plays in the background]

JANETTE: [walks up to his table and sits down]  Soif? [Thirsty?]

NICK: There's no way out is there? No answers. No great shining light
around the corner. Might as well embrace it; sit back and enjoy the
ride.[beat] I'm revamping myself,  Janette. From now on I say, I'm a
vampire and I'm proud of it. The hell with the mortal world.

JANETTE: And what brought this sudden change of heart? 

NICK: Their weakness. Their false hopes. Their lies. 

JANETTE: Their humanity? 

NICK: What strength is there in mortality. None.  What advantage?  
(beat) The ability to die. Well, sign me up for that straightaway. Oh
yeah, I'll be first in line.

JANETTE: Maybe you've had enough.

NICK: I'm hungry. I feed. [His eyes are golden]

JANETTE: Your eyes.. [beat] I can't have a scene, Nichola. Dance. Work
it off a little.

NICK: Yes. [He stands and goes out onto the dance floor towards the
woman with the goth makeup]


SCENE [Interior of police station]
[SCHANKE is seated at his desk and NATALIE is perched on another desk .
SCHANKE's phone rings] 
SCHANKE:  [to NAT] That better be him. And he better have Monica
Howard. [into phone]  Yeah what's going....yeah?.....yeah, yeah right,
right...Okay we'll be right over. [Schanke hangs up phone and says to
NATALIE]  Found him.


SCENE [Raven interior. Touch the Night is playing]
[JANETTE, behind the bar, hangs up her phone and  eyes the dance floor
uneasily]
[NICK  drags the goth woman to a back room.]

Girl: What is this place?

NICK:  It's a private club for VIP's and denizens of the night  I think
you belong.

Girl: I'm not sure. [they kiss]

NICK: Maybe it's just your makeup 

Girl: How does it make me look?  [NICK has pinned her against the wall]

NICK: Like death.

Girl: Is that sexy?

NICK: Oh, it's more than that.

Girl: It is to me.

NICK: Death

Girl:  Sexy. 

NICK: Oh yes.

Girl: It's incredibly sexy to me.

NICK:  Then maybe you'd like to die a little [NICK vamps out and snarls
at her]
[NICK is about to bite her when Janette enters the back room]

JANETTE: Nichola!

[NICK snarls in frustration. The woman sees him vamped out, gasps  and
runs out of the club, terrified . As she goes out the door she pushes
between  Schanke and NATALIE who are just coming in]

SCHANKE:  What the hell is her problem? [They scan the dance floor,
looking for NICK]

NATALIE: I don't see him

SCHANKE:  There's a back room over there.

[In the back room, JANETTE is berating NICK]
JANETTE:  What did I say to you? WHAT!!

NICK: [still vamped he snarls] _Keep_ away from me. [Janette backs out
of the room, frightened] 
[SCHANKE & NATALIE are outside the door, They see Janette  come through
the door]

JANETTE: He needs to be alone. Both of you go, please. [beat] Look,
he's dangerous. He's had too much to drink.

NATALIE: No, [determined] I'm going in there. 

JANETTE: [to NATALIE} It's your neck.[walks off]

SCHANKE: What the hell is going on with Nick!

NATALIE: Lemme talk to him alone, Schank.

SCHANKE: Okay, okay, sure. [loudly, through the door] Hey Nick,
whatever you're going through, I'm with you buddy. Hang in there. 

NATALIE: [to SCHANKE] Thank you. [Goes into the back room]


SCENE [In the back room, NICK is sitting on the floor against a wall,
still vamped out and snarling quietly.]

NICK: Come to ogle the beast? 

NATALIE: I came to help.

NICK: Hah, you all come to help, don't you? 

NATALIE: [holds out her hand] Take my hand.

NICK: _BACK OFF_ Nat! 

NATALIE: What happened tonight?

NICK: I was riding on this wagon and someone pushed me off.

NATALIE: Monica.

NICK: Aren't you the one who said "be realistic Nick?" Well, I've just
had a fair dose of reality. A good hard look. at the mortal soul.

[NICK gets up and walks ominously toward  NATALIE]

NICK: What secrets are you hiding , Natalie? What kind of betrayal?

NATALIE: Come on, Nick.

NICK:. [NATALIE is frightened but holds still as NICK circles around
her.] Are you  writing some sort of medical paper on me Nat? Or maybe
you're just seeking some dark sexual thrill. What is it Natalie?

NATALIE: [angrily] All right! That. Is. Enough.!

NICK: 'Cause there is no hope is there? No cure. From Monica, from you,
it's all a bluff

NATALIE: What! Did somebody tell you there was an easy cure, Nick?
Because they were lying! You have to find the answer within yourself 
and just because Monica failed you doesn't  give you an excuse  to...

NICK: _She_ betrayed my trust!  [more quietly] my hope. 

NATALIE: Come on Nick. She's an addicted co-dependant. She lost
control!

NICK: She's a murderer.

NATALIE: A suspect:

NICK: Oh no,  she's a killer like myself. An irredeemable,
uncontrollable beast. Now that's the way it is, that...is my reality. 
[turns away from her]

NATALIE: [NATALIE follows him] Do you know where she is?

NICK: Oh, that's right. I'm supposed to bring her in, aren't I? 

NATALIE: Nick, let Schanke do it. 

NICK:  No, no, no, this is perfect. This makes perfect sense, Nat.
[grabs her arm] Monica says that recovery is just the space between
fixes. [Vamps out] I think I'll show her what backsliding really is. 

NATALIE. Nick! [NICK turns, and flies through the window]

SCENE
[flying scene] [NICK lands on the street at the front door of the
Windsor Arms Hotel and enters]
[inside the lobby. There is a small elevator with a flight of stairs
next to it. A man is coming downstairs.]

Man: Hey man, you want a rubdown? I got a nice girl up here for you.

NICK: Where's Monica

Man: She's with someone right now....

[NICK slams him into a wall and goes upstairs]

[NICK comes down the hallway

[MONICA's VO, from inside a room]
MONICA: Why is this happening to me?.

[NICK slams open the door, sees MONICA in something scanty, bending
over a man on the bed. The man's throat has been slashed]

MONICA: [Weeping] I didn't do this. I didn't do this, oh my God. I
swear it. [NICK looks at her, stunned]

COMMERCIAL BREAK

ACT  III
[Exterior of Windsor Arms Hotel NICK and NATALIE are standing near the
front entrance. Two paramedics walk through the door with a body bag on
a stretcher in front of them] 

NICK: [to NATALIE] She didn't do it, Nat. It was something you said
about finding it within myself.  I ran up to the room and saw her with
the body. It all seemed to go away.  It was like the cop in me took
over. 

NATALIE: [Relieved] Well, maybe that's part of the equation.

NICK: We're supposed to acknowledge and apologise for any pain we might
have caused.

NATALIE: Hey, that's OK. [takes NICK's hand, looks at him] No one said
that this was going to be easy. 

NICK: [sighs] Monica's innocent, Nat. 

NATALIE: Well, the needle jab on the of the second victim and to-
night's knife slashes were  made with the killer's right hand, so,
unless she's a lefty, I'd say you don't have a leg to stand on.

SCHANKE: [Walking up to them, with a cigarette in his hand] Hey, will
you two let me in on what's going on here? And how the hell did you get
here from the Raven so fast without a car?

NICK: Schanke, uh, I truly apologise for my behaviour tonight and any
pain that I might have caused you.

SCHANKE: You're not going to give me an answer, are you. 

NICK: [interrupting] Any way we can set up an interrogation with Monica
tonight? 

SCHANKE: She's down at the station, why not?

NICK: Why not? [taking SCHANKE's cigarette from his hand and throwing
it away] Because it's bad for you, that's why not.


SCENE [in the station interrogation room]

NICK: I want you to write down every 12-Step member that you've had a
relationship with.

MONICA: [Seated at a table in the middle of the room] It's a very long
list.

SCHANKE: We have all night.

NICK: You're not betraying anyone, Monica.. You can't think of it that
way. 

MONICA: It's a little too late not to betray anyone. [whisper] Isn't it,
Nick?

[She picks up the pen with her right hand, then puts it in her left
hand and starts to write.]


SCENE
[Later, SCHANKE and NICK are walking along a hall at the police
station]

SCHANKE: Alright, so she's left-handed. That still doesn't mean she
didn't do it. 

NICK: That along with her alibi means we don't have enough to hold her.

SCHANKE: Oh that makes me feel real comfortable .

NICK: The killer's on that list.

SCHANKE: I hope so. There are 20 names here. Some dance card. 


SCENE: Meeting hall [Nick is at the podium]

NICK: Hi, my name's Nick and I have a confession to make. [beat] I've
been lying to you over the last couple of weeks. While I freely admit
that I am an addict, I was also here because I'm a cop. 
[audience reacts] There's a killer among us in this room tonight.
[Audience: What?!?] A killer that some of you may  have information
about. [beat] Now this killer knew Monica and her problem intimately. 
We have a list of names and we will systematically begin to go through
them , possibly embarrassing some of you and certainly violating the
program's tenet of privacy.  But this is going to take time, during
which the killer may have a chance to  strike again. [Pan over the
audience] So, this is why I'm asking you, if you have any information
at all, to break the rules of privacy and come forward. I mean, we,
we're not talking about addiction, we're talking about murder here, so 
we need your help. [beat] Listen, uh,  I've left my home phone number
at the table at the back, I'll keep it as private... as I possibly can.
So, please, give me a call.  [as he steps down from podium, pan over
audience whispering. Stop at  ANGIE, looking intently at NICK as he
passes her]

SCENE [The loft. NICK is painting again, with bright yellow strokes
over the black and red. Afternoon establishing shot.  Phone rings]
[Answering machine starts message  Yeah....go ahead. Beeps]

HILLARY's VO: Nick, its Hillary. I have to see you. Um, There's...
er... something I have to tell you.


[Shot of the Caddie driving along the Gardiner Exwy. [VO of NICK in the
car phoning  SCHANKE at home ] 
NICK:  Yeah we're meeting at the 12-step Centre

SCHANKE: Come on, Nick it's my bowling night. 

NICK: All I need you to do is hang on for 20 minutes. If I don't call
you, send in some backup  ...Schank?

SCHANKE: Yeah, yeah yeah, I'm holding you personally responsible if my
average suffers. 

******Canadian version********
SCENE [12 Step building ]
[NICK walks carefully down hallway, opens a door at the end of hall. He
looks into the kitchenette to see Angie's body sprawled across a chair
]

[MONICA enters by another door]
NICK: Monica.

MONICA: Angie told me to meet her here.

NICK: Angie's dead.[whispering to MONICA] What are you doing?

MONICA: [Whispering back] What?  

[gunfire, something is knocked to the ground]

NICK: [to MONICA]. Leave the building, call 911, go ahead . Do it!

 [more gunfire. NICK comes around doorway, is shot at, rolls to the
ground, door slams]
******End Canadian Verson******

SCENE: [the main hall: NICK goes to the back door into the hall and
opens it cautiously . Hillary is standing at the podium. MONICA is
sitting at the steps of the platform, her head in her hands]
HILLARY: Hello, everybody.. I'm a little nervous. My name is Hillary H.
I have an addiction.  I'm addicted to looking out for my sister,
Monica. I'm obsessed with saving her . Everything I do is for her
protection. [She sees NICK and fires at him. NICK ducks back behind a
pile of stacked chairs] I'm sharing. [NICK comes forward, his hands
clear, holsters his gun  and walks forward slowly. Sirens can be heard
in the distance as the backup arrives]

HILLARY: See,  Monica was hurt bad when we were kids.. She has problems
because of it. I couldn't help her then, but I can help her now. [
SCHANKE and uniforms enter into the hall from the back] Hillary walks
over to MONICA and caresses her hair]

NICK: [to the cops] Stay back. Give her room, Schank.

HILLARY: They used her, all of them. Skip and Henry and Angie. All the
others. They didn't love Monica.

NICK: [walking slowly forward] You're her sister. They couldn't love
her like you did.

HILLARY: How could I stand there and watch them use her? [kneeling
beside MONICA] They were taking advantage of her need for comfort.
Her.... need to have that dark wounded space filled with the love of
another person.

NICK: You did what you thought was right.

HILLARY: Yes. [beat] She was just too weak.  [harder] You could not
take advantage. It's a rule. They deserved to die! You can't take
advantage of someone who's addicted!  [starts to cry]

[NICK has been walking slowly forward as she speaks. He is at the
podium]

NICK: Give me the gun.

HILLARY: It's not fair! [sobbing].  [NICK reaches out and takes the gun
away from her] 

HILLARY: I was the only one who cared about her! [sobbing,
hysterically] I was the only one! [hugs MONICA, then a uniform leads
her away]

Uniform Cop: Ciggie, Schanke?

SCHANKE: Ya gotta be kidding.

[NICK and MONICA walk slowly down the aisle, arm in arm]

COMMERCIAL BREAK

TRAILER:

[Nick's loft. NICK and NATALIE are looking at his painting]

NATALIE: Well, all I can say is....I like it. 

NICK: How much ?

NATALIE: A lot!

NICK: Good

NATALIE: A lot, a lot. It's fabulous! Makes me quiver, right down...

NICK: [smiling] All right, all right, I guess I've tortured you
enough.... for now

[Elevator door opens]
NATALIE: Thank you

[SCHANKE enters]
NICK: But when we get back, I think you can help me figure out where to
hang it.

SCHANKE: What's this?

NICK: Ah nothing, just something I've been fooling around with. 

SCHANKE: What, you think I know nothing about art?

NICK: No, it's just that you have a velvet painting of Elvis in your
locker.

SCHANKE:  Very funny! [views the painting from several angles. hands
together as though praying] Interesting. Very interesting! Hmmm. I'm
seeing a kind of  subtextual renaissance of the ideal. The playful use
of light and shadow, if I'm not mistaken, portends almost a stylistic
opening, no, unfolding within the realms of psychological. expression,
....the nature of self-acceptance, the... journey from darkness into
light.  From doubt into ...

NATALIE: ...hope?

SCHANKE: Exactly! The destruction of the existential, and I'm delighted
to see the triumph of  the humanistic. [beat]. Myra keeps a copy of the
Andy Warhol diaries in the john.

NATALIE: ah
[Fade out] 
ROLL END CREDITS