BLADE TRINITY
							   
   						     by David S. Goyer

							   


	
        Over darkness a WOMAN'S VOICE speaks to us.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     Italo Calvino once said that myth is the
                     hidden part of every story, the buried
                     part, the region that is still unexplored
                     because there are as yet no words to
                     enable us to get there.
                          (beat)
                     But I was there for the end.  I took part
                     in it.  And I think my words can help shed
                     light on what happened.  My name is
                     Abigail.  This is our story.


            FADE IN:


            EXT. IRAQI DESERT - DAWN


            Harsh sunlight beats down over a bleak, unforgiving stretch of
            rocky desert.  Amidst this desolation rise the ruins of an
            ancient Sumerian ziggurat, a massive stepped pyramid of mud
            brick that was once the center of the city known as Ur.


            SUPER TITLE:	SOUTHEASTERN IRAQ, DHI QAR PROVINCE


                                    SIX MONTHS AGO



            AN EMACIATED SHEEP HERDER


            kneels by the ziggurat, tending to a ragged band of sheep.  He
            is conducting the first of his daily prayers, listening to a
            religious broadcast from Baghdad on a tinny RADIO.


            Presently, we hear HELICOPTERS.  The sheepherder looks up --


            TWO ANERICAN RAH-66 COMANCHE HELICOPTERS


            approach from the East.  They touch down near the base of the
            ziggurat, rotors stirring up clouds of dust.


            FOUR FIGURES


            disembark, their bodies covered in desert camo-gear.  They
            wear helmets with polarized face-plates and are armed to the
            teeth.  To the sheepherder they might as well be aliens.


            One of the figures turns to the East.  We can see the rising
            sun reflected in the face-plate of his helmet -- and a hint of
            a skull-like under-mask/respirator beneath the face-plate. He
            raises a gloved hand, gives the "finger" to the new day.


            Another figure (a woman) waves a hand, urging them onward.
            They mount the central steps of the ziggurat.


            INT. ZIGGURAT - SHRINE - DAY


            The shrine is empty.  The woman activates a wearable computing
            device, calling up a schematic of the ziggurat.


            She kneels, studying the floor.  In the corner of the room she
            identifies a particular brick and presses it.  We hear hidden
            COUNTER-WEIGHTS shifting and the floor opens up --


            -- revealing a stone stairway leading down.


            INT. ZIGGURAT - STAIRWAY - DAY


            Dark.  Sepulchral.  Spooky.  The figures descend into --


            INT. ZIGGURAT - BURIAL VAULT - DAY


            -- an empty room with an earthen floor.  The sunlight from
            above barely penetrates down here.  One of the figures takes
            out a battery--powered lantern, turning it on, illuminating --


            -- walls covered with CUNEIFORM WRITING.  The male figure who
            flipped off the sun speaks via radio headset.


                                MALE FIGURE
                     That's great. We've got dick.
                          (turning to the others)
                     Is there any reason we had to embark on
                     this cluster-fuck during the day?


            The woman removes her helmet.  This is DANICA TALOS.  A
            vampire.  Intense, appearing to be in her 30s.  Possessing a
            regal air.  She wears a silver crucifix around her neck.


                                DANICA
                     Night-time's too tricky, Grimwood. You
                     know that.


            One by one, the others remove their helmets.  All vampires:


            GRIMWOOD (30s), a hulking vampire with an imposing physique
            and an even more imposing set of surgical steel teeth/fangs.


            ASHER (4Os), a natural-born leader with easygoing charisma.


            WOLFE (30s), quiet and deliberative.  Right now he's readying
            a portable ground-penetrating radar unit.


            Grimwood studies the writing on the walls.


                                GRIMWOOD
                     What is this chicken-scratch?


                                DANICA
                     Cuneiform. Dates back about four
                     thousand years.


                                GRIMWOOD
                     So why here?


                                DANICA
                     Because this was the cradle of
                     civilization.  He would've been
                     comfortable here.


                                ASHER
                     I don't know, Dan.  Seems like another
                     dead-end.


                                WOLFE
                     I'm not so sure --


            Wolfe looks at his unit, excited.  The others gather round.


                                WOLFE
                     There's something beneath us.


            ON WOLFE'S RADAR UNIT


            We see a cross-section image of the soil and subsurface
            features beneath them.  SOMETHING has been buried down there.


                                ASHER
                     Is that a body --?


            Wolfe makes a few adjustments on the unit.  The image resolves
            further.  It's definitely a BODY.  Then, we hear the low
            RUMBLING of more hidden counter-weights and --


            A SLAB OF STONE


            slides down from above the stairs, sealing off the vault.


                                GRIMWOOD
                     What the fuck --?!


            Grimwood pounds his fist against the stone.  It's solid.  He
            tries to find a hand-hold, tries to shoulder it open in some
            way, but the barrier is unmovable.  They're trapped.


                                ASHER
                     Radio back-up.  See if they can open it
                     from the other --


                                WOLFE (0.S.)
                     Guys?


            Wolfe points at the ground.  A tiny depression has formed,
            with sand funneling into it.


            Wolfe sets his radar unit down and kneels before the hole. 
            The grains of sand are falling faster now, the depression
            gradually widening.  Curious, Wolfe leans closer --


            A CLAWED, ARMORED HAND


            suddenly EXPLODES upward from the ground.  It latches onto
            Wolfe's neck.  dragging him down head-first!


            Wolfe THRASHES, his head still buried beneath the sand.  He
            knocks over the lantern, which FLICKERS, shorting out.


            Asher rushes to Wolfe's side.  Then Grimwood.  They grab Wolfe
            by the shoulders, SCREAMING, trying to pull him back.


            Asher is KICKED by Wolfe's thrashing legs.  He flies upward,
            hits the ceiling, falls back onto the ground, stunned --


            Danica joins Grimwood.  Abruptly, they wrest Wolfe free --
            headless.  BLOOD erupts from the sand.  Then --


            A HELLISH CREATURE


            unearths itself, ROARING.  It's difficult to make out in the
            flickering light.  But what we do see is terrifying.  Spiked,
            demonic armor, clutching a sword.  An elongated, helmeted face
            with a blood-splattered set of hinged fangs -- hinting at an
            inhuman physiognomy within.  The hinged jaws open, coming at
            us.  And just as the lantern goes out for good we --


            SUPER TITLE:	BLADE III


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - CORRIDOR - NIGHT


            Danica moves down a modern architectural corridor lined in
            glass and steel.  VAMPIRE SOLDIERS stand ready nearby,
            outfitted in body armor, clutching automatic rifles.


            AT THE END OF THE CORRIDOR


            Asher, Grirnwood, and another vampire, HENDRIX are gathered by
            a titanium door outfitted with a biometric security system.


            Danica joins them, studying a VIDEO MONITOR which offers a
            darkened view of the interior of the vault.  We can just make
            out a FIGURE sitting there in the shadows.


                                DANICA
                     What's he been doing?


                                ASHER
                     Nothing.  Just sitting there since we
                     brought him here.


                                HENDRIX
                          (nervously)
                     Do you think we've got enough security?


                                DANICA
                     Hendrix, if he wanted to out of there -
                     there isn't an army in the world that
                     could keep us safe.  We didn't capture
                     him.  He allowed us to take him in.  You
                     understand?
                          (nodding to the door)
                     Now open up.


            The others look at her like she's insane.  Nevertheless,
            Danica places her hand on the biometric scanner.  Hendrix keys
            in a series of commands on a nearby computer console.  The
            vault doors open with a HUM, allowing Danica into --


            AN AIRLOCK-STYLE VESTIBULE


            She steps inside.  The vault closes behind her.  We hear
            BLOWERS as the air is cycled.  A SECOND SET OF DOORS open --


            INT. VAMPIRE SAFE HOUSE - CELL - NIGHT


            Danica steps into a nearly pitch-black "clean room".  We hear
            BREATHING.  Despite her calm demeanor, she's frightened.


            From the darkness, SOMEONE SPEAKS -- a voice low and rumbling,
            laced with an ominous gravity.


                                VOICE (O.S.)
                     Why have you woken me?


                                DANICA
                     Your people need you, Sire.


            She kneels, bowing her head.


                                VOICE (0.S.)
                          (mocking)
                     "My people".  You think I'm your messiah?
                     Your Savior?


            We hear MOVEMENT.  A pair of RED EYES pierce the gloom -- and
            God help us, even though he remains partially shadowed, this
            guy has to be the scariest mother-fucker we've ever seen.


                                VOICE
                     What makes you think I wanted to be
                     brought back?


            A hand emerges from the darkness, armored.  Danica wants to
            bolt.  Instead, she fights to keep herself from flinching as a
            taloned finger brushes her throat.


                                DANICA
                     Times have changed.  Science has made
                     great strides.  Your blood, the sacrament
                     you provide -- it can set us free now.


                                VOICE
                     I see.  And the one I killed earlier?  He
                     was vampire?
                          (off her nod)
                     You must forgive me.  It had been
                     centuries since I last fed.


                                DANICA
                     I understand.


                                VOICE
                     Then offer yourself to me, child --
                          (lifting her chin)
                     -- and let me quench my thirst again.


            INT. VAMPIRE SAFE HOUSE - CORRIDOR - NIGHT


            WHOOSH!  The vault doors open and Danica stumbles out, all but
            falling into Asher's arms.  She's bone-white and there are
            fresh BITE MARKS on her throat, BLOOD staining her shirt.


                                ASKER
                     Danica!  Are you alright --?!


            She nods, shaking, struggling to recompose herself.


                                DANICA
                     Let him out -- he wants to see what's
                     become of his world.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            A VIDEO MONITOR


            LARRY KING launching into the intro of his show.


                                LARRY
                     Tonight, Dr. Edgar Vance, forensic
                     psychiatrist and author of the New York
                     Times best seller "Human Health: The Whole
                     Being Breakthrough".  Also with us is
                     Martin Vreede, Chief of Police.  They're
                     here for an hour and they'll take your
                     calls.  Next on Larry King Live.


            INT. LARRY KING LIVE - STUDIO - NIGHT


            Taping is underway.  Larry King sits at his desk opposite
            EDGAR VANCE (40s), a smooth-talking pundit with a magnetic
            demeanor and movie star good looks.  CHIEF MARTIN VREEDE (50s,
            square-jawed), joins via remote feed.


                                LARRY
                     Dr. Vance -- you're a psychiatrist and a
                     biochemist, isn't that right?


                                VANCE
                     Yes.  I've long believed that in order to
                     achieve true health, we have to reconcile
                     the body and the mind.  Of course that
                     also requires letting go of a lot of our
                     old notions and superstitions, which is
                     what my work is all about.


                                LARRY
                     Let's talk about that.  How do you account
                     for the fascination with things that go
                     bump in the night?  Movies, books,
                     videogames -- seems like we can't get
                     enough of our boogeymen?


            Vance leans forward, skillfully playing to the cameras.


                                VANCE
                     Monsters provide a means for us to
                     transfer our more primal and darker urges
                     into something external.  In the case of
                     vampires, you're dealing with taboo issues
                     like predatory rage and sexual sadism. 
                     These are scary subjects for people to own
                     up to.


                                LARRY
                     So we pass the buck to someone else?


                                VANCE
                     Exactly.  Historically, people suffering
                     from medical conditions have always been
                     our psychological scapegoats.  In the
                     Middle Ages schizophrenia was often
                     attributed to demonic possession.


                                LARRY
                     And vampires?


                                VANCE
                     Well, there's a hereditary blood disease
                     known as porphyria that has symptoms
                     remarkably similar to the classic vampiric
                     traits.  People suffering from this
                     disease are anemic, they become sensitive
                     to sunlight, they can't tolerate garlic --


                                LARRY
                     Which is too bad, since my doctor tells me
                     that's good for the heart.
                          (turning to Chief Vreede)
                     Chief Vreede?  What's your take on all the
                     recent rumors we've been hearing about
                     vampires?


                                VREEDE
                     The only vampires I'm worried about are
                     the ones passing the bar exam.
                          (laughing)
                     Seriously, if vampires existed, don't you
                     think we'd be on to them by now?  The
                     truth is, our streets have never been
                     safer.  Homicides, assaults -- violent
                     crime is down across the board.  If people
                     want to be concerned, they should focus on
                     criminals like Blade.


                                LARRY
                     Now who's this?  Tell me about him.


                                VREEDE
                     He's a sociopath we've been pursuing.


                                VANCE
                     Blade is a very disturbed individual. 
                     Even the name he's chosen for himself is
                     troubling.  According to witnesses, he
                     operates under the belief that a vast
                     conspiracy of vampires live amongst us. 
                     You have to look at the psychiatric
                     underpinnings here.  What does a person
                     like Blade really want? 
                     Odds are, he's really trying to work out
                     some kind of inner trauma.  He thinks he's
                     slaying monsters, but he's really trying
                     to murder aspects of himself.


            The sound of GUNFIRE pre-laps over from the next scene as we --


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. MACHINE SHOP/PARKING LOT - NIGHT


            -- a MASSIVE EXPLOSION ripping through an industrial building. 
            Banks of windows BLOW OUTWARDS, FIRE ROlLS, brick walls
            CRUMBLE, raining debris everywhere.


            A SCREAMING, BURNING MAN


            goes tumbling into the night air.  Buoyed by the explosion,
            his body flies upward, trailing fire like a human comet.


            MORE MEN (VAMPIRES) race out, some of them on fire.


            CLOSER


            as a FORMIDABLE FIGURE resolves out of the swirling flames. 
            It's Blade, striding towards us in slow-motion, body bristling
            with weapons, the exaggerated sounds of his FOOTFALLS ringing
            out like drums of doom.


            He looks like the God of War.  WHOOSH!  We ramp back up to
            real-time.  Then faster as --


            -- a TRIO OF VAMPIRE LOW-LIFES (STONE, GEDGE, and CAMPBELL)
            run for their lives towards their vehicles.  TWO MODIFIED
            STREET RACING CARS are pulling out; a Mustang and an Eagle
            Talon.  Gedge is climbing into the Talon even as it starts to
            move, pulling the door shut.  At the same time --


            -- Stone and Campbell climb atop two stretched and lowered
            hardtail chopper cycles.  Blade starts forward, drawing two of
            his custom MACH pistols, but --


            --	the Mustang comes SCREAMING IN REVERSE TOWARDS him!


            Blade makes a SUPER-HUMAN LEAP over the speeding car. 
            Momentarily upside down, he FIRES through the windshield and
            engine block as he flips.  Within the car, the vampires ASH.
            The Mustang EXPLODES.  flipping over and --


            --	Blade, now facing frontward again, continues to FIRE as he
            lands, aiming at --


            THE TALON AND THE CHOPPERS,


            which haul ass out of the parking lot, swerving into the
            traffic on the street beyond.


            Blade KEEPS FIRING until he's out of bullets.  Then --


                                ELLINGSON (O.S.)
                     No more bullets, Blade?  Guess it's time
                     for you to fall down and go boom.


            FOUR STRANDED VAMPIRES,


            from the conflagration, their clothes still smoking, surround
            Blade.  Call them EMOND, DOH, DENLINGER, and ELLINGSON.


            Blade holsters his MACH pistols.  Then reaches for a wicked
            looking CHAIN-KNIFE strapped to his thigh.  The knife has a
            button on either side of the hilt.  As Ellingson RUSHES him --


            -- Blade triggers the first button.  ZZZING!  The knife-blade
            ejects from the hilt, trailing outward six feet on a razored
            chain.  The blade penetrates Ellingson's chest.  He GASPS as
            he starts to ASH.  But before his disintegration is complete --


            -- Blade hits the second button.  The knife-blade retracts,
            the razored chain WHIRRING back into the knife-hilt.  Blade
            SPINS, triggers the first button again --


            The knife-blade FLIES OUT, the razored chain whipping around
            Denlinger's throat.  Blade tugs.  The razor chain cuts through

            Denlinoer's neck, decapitates him. As he ASHES --


            -- Blade triggers the knife again.  As it ejects, he whirls it
            over his head, making a sound like a BULL-ROARER.


            Blade drops low, swinging the razored chain.  The chain slices
            through Emond's legs.  Emond's amputated legs ASH, the rest of
            him tumbling onto the asphalt.  He SCREAMS.


            Blade retracts the knife-blade, whirls, THRUSTS it through
            Doh's abdomen. who was coming up from behind.  As Doh ASHES,
            Blade returns to Emond, finishing him off --


            -- and Blade is on the move again, RUSHING after the vampires
            who escaped.


            EXT. STREET - OVERPASS - NIGHT


            The bike-riding vamps cut across traffic, then SCREAM down an
            on-ramp to a busy street below.


            BACK TO BLADE,


            sprinting from the parking lot to the sidewalk.  He touches a
            hand to his ear.  We SEE a tiny receiver tucked within.


                                BLADE
                     Whistler!  I'm on the Stonebridge
                     overpass at Clemons --


                                WHISTLER'S VOICE
                     Got it!  Heading eastbound, I'm just
                     beneath you --


            Blade dodges past a HONKING car, stepping onto and over the
            trunk, then leaps atop the safety rail of the overpass as --


            A BIG-RIG CAB


            hauling a semi-trailer THUNDERS beneath the overpass, sounding
            its AIR HORN.  It has safety cables running along the
            perimeter of the trailer roof, like an aircraft carrier.


                                WHISTLER'S VOICE
                     -- GO!!!


            EXT. BUSY STREET - NIGHT


            Blade LAUNCHES HIMSELF into the air.  He lands atop the semi,
            then tumbles, nearly slipping off the edge as he --


            -- snags one of the safety cables atop the trailer!  He
            dangles above the asphalt then SWINGS himself into the open
            back of the trailer.  We HOLD for a beat, then hear the
            THUNDERCLAP of a high-performance ENGINE turning over as --


            BLADE'S MATTE-BLACK DODGE CHARGER


            ROCKETS out of the back of the trailer, sailing right over a
            car that was tail-gating the semi, heading into three lanes of
            on-coming traffic at fifty miles an hour!


            Blade hits the brakes, sending the battle-scarred muscle car
            into a spin, clipping other vehicles in the process.


            INT. BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT


            As cars continue to brake and COLLIDE around him, Blade puts
            the pedal to the metal once again.  The Charger accelerates,
            tachometer red-lining as Blade pulls alongside the cab of the
            big-rig, catching a glimpse of --


            WHISTLER BEHIND THE WHEEL


            Whistler grins, gives Blade a little salute and --


            --	Blade reaches between the seats, ACTIVATING the newly
            installed nitrous oxide fuel-injection system.


            EXT. BUSY STREET - NIGHT


            Hyper-speed.  The Charger jets forward as the NOS nitrous
            system boosts the car's speed by another 300 HP, leaving any
            and everything in its dust.  In seconds, it has caught up to --


            STONE AND CAMPBELL


            They draw TEC-9s, FIRING back at Blade.  The bullet-proof
            windshield holds as do the kevlar body panels protecting the
            engine -- but the rounds chew the shit out of the bodywork.


            INT. BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT


            Blade gives his car another jolt of nitrous.  The Charger
            SURGES FORWARD as Stone and Campbell fall back, veering to
            either side.  Now Blade is ahead of them.  He checks their
            position in his rear-view mirror, then stands on the brakes --


            EXT. BUSY STREET - NIGHT


            The Charger drops from a hundred to fifty in a heart beat,
            causing Stone and Campbell to rear-end Blade.


            The vamps are ejected over the handle bars of their bikes like
            crash-test dummies.  Stone SMASHES through Blade's back
            windshield, continuing into the front seat--


            -- while Campbell tumbles over Blade's roof and across his
            hood, somehow managing to cling to one of the windshield
            wipers at the last minute.


            INT. BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT


            Blade clutches the wheel.  He's got a HOWLING vampire in the
            front seat, upside down, covered in windshield fragments and
            another perched on his hood, obscuring his vision.


            Stone tries to right himself, clawing at Blade.  Blade
            struggles, keeping one hand on the wheel while he --


            --	reaches for a shotgun secured between the seats.  He
            FIRES.  As the vampire ASHES, Blade hits a button on the dash. 
            The passenger door opens, spills Stone onto the road --


            EXT. BUSY STREET - NIGHT


            -- right into the path of an oncoming bus!  WHAM!  Stone is
            ground to paste and --


            INT. TOUR BUS - NIGHT


            TOURISTS, mostly elderly.  The passengers are jolted in their
            seats as the wheels of the bus KA-THUMP over Stone's remains --


                                OLD WOMAN
                     I hope that wasn't a dog.


            INT. BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT


            -- and we're back in Blade's Charger as Campbell continues to
            HAMMER away at the windshield.  The windshield spiderwebs. 
            Campbell manages to get a clawed hand through --


            Blade swings his shotgun over, shoving it in Campbell's
            snarling mouth.  He pulls the trigger --


            BOOM!  Campbell's CINDER-REMAINS blow over the cracked
            windshield.  Blade hits the wipers, spritzes window cleaner -
            but the mess turns to ashen sludge.  making the view worse!


            EXT. BUSY STREET - NIGHT


            The Talor is up ahead, weaving in and out of traffic. 
            Fighting to see, Blade accelerates, gaining ground --


            The VAMPIRE DRIVER leans out of his own wihdow, looking back
            at Blade, FIRING an AUTOMATIC PISTOL --


            INT. BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT


            Blade's windshield, already weakened by Campbell, SHATTERS,
            blowing glass fragments all over him.  Undaunted, Blade calmly
            reaches for his dash, hitting a button labeled "UV".


            EXT. BUSY STREET/BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT


            Roof-mounted UV DAYLIGHTS come on, bathing the car ahead and


            (more importantly) the vampire driver with UV LIGHT!


            The vampire at the wheel SHRIEKS, ASHES, leaving the car


            driverless.  Gedge tries to lean over and take the wheel --


            INT. BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT


            BURNING REMAINS blow back at us.  Then the view clears and --


            EXT. BUSY STREET - NIGHT


            --	Blade SLAMS his charger into the Talon.  The cars briefly
            lock, grinding SPARKS.  Then they disengage.  Blade jerks his
            steering wheel, gives the Talon ANOTHER SLAM.


            The Talon hits the curb, riding halfway up onto a sidewalk,
            PLOWING DOWN newspaper vending machines and table-top displays
            piled with cheap wares, then a phone booth, a food cart. 
            PEDESTRIANS duck for cover and --


            -- the Talon gets some serious air, ROLLING onto its side as
            it comes back to earth.


            EXT. INTERSECTION - NIGHT


            --WK-KRUNCH-- the wreck skids to a stop against a streetlight.
            The streetlight CREAKS, CRASHES DOWN on the wreck.  BYSTANDERS
            gather, murmuring amongst themselves --


            Gedge drags his bleeding body from the wrecked Talon.  He
            staggers to his feet, clutching a pistol, limps away --


            BLADE'S CHARGER


            pulls up.  Blade climbs out, shotgun in hand.  The shotgun has
            an under-mounted stake launcher.  Blade FIRES at --


            -- Gedge.  The stake hits him in the back.  KNOCKING him onto
            the street.  Bystanders SCREAM, falling back, taking cover --


            Blade approaches, puzzled.  Gedge is still alive, LAUGHING. 
            He looks at Blade, eyes crazed, flashing his fangs.


                                BLADE
                     Staked you with silver.  Why aren't you
                     ash?


            Gedge coughs blood, struggles to speak:


                                GEDGE
                     Why aren't you smarter?  Not a vampire,
                     dumbshit -- set your sorry ass up --


            Gedge tugs at his fangs.  They're fake, PROSTHETIC.  Gedge is
            looking past Blade.  Blade turns, looking up --


            A ROOFTOP ABOVE


            Danica is perched there.  She backs into the shadows.  But
            Blade doesn't have time to investigate because --


            --	POLICE SIRENS are drawing near.  Blade retreats to his
            charger.  He GUNS it, speeding away as we --


            CUT TO:


            EXT. BLADE AND WHISTLER'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            Blade's Charger pulls up to a boat house at the water's edge. 
            Blade climbs out, disappears inside.


                                WHISTLER (O.S.)
                     What the fuck happened tonight?


            INT. BLADE AND WHISTLER'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            New digs.  Built into the decaying boat house, retrofitted for
            Blade's combat needs.  Blade is taking off his body armor,
            tossing weapons onto a work table.  He's frustrated.


                                BLADE
                     How should I know?  He was human.


            Whistler reaches for a bottle of whiskey, takes a sip.


                                WHISTLER
                     You've been getting careless, Blade.  You
                     kill a vampire, they ash, don't leave any
                     proof of their existence.  But something
                     like this, a human corpse, it's messy --
                          (shaking his head)
                     -- you better hope nobody IDed you.


            CUT TO:


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - DANICA'S QUARTERS - NIGHT


            CLOSE ON a digital video tape being slipped into a player. 
            PULL BACK to reveal Danica sitting before a monitor.


            ON THE MONITOR WE SEE


            Footage of Blade confronting Gedge, filmed from a high-angle. 
            Danica smiles and we --


            CUT TO:


            EXT. FBI REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS - DAY


            Establishing.


            SUPER TITLE: FBI REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS


                                WOMAN'S VOICE
                     It was horrible.  The one car crashed, and
                     then the guy in the coat was shooting the
                     other guy --


            INT. FBI REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS - OFFICE - DAY


            CLOSE ON a TV screen.  We are watching a news feed.  A
            REPORTER interviews a WOMAN at the intersection where Blade
            executed Gedge.  Now the reporter turns to the camera.


                                REPORTER
                          (on-screen)
                     That was just a taste of the mayhem that
                     occurred during tonight's brazen shoot-out
                     that left at least four people dead.  Now
                     apparently an anonymous citizen captured
                     the whole event on video --


            The IMAGE FREEZES.  We hear the clatter of KEYBOARD KEYS as we
            pan over to an adjacent computer monitor where a series of
            VIDEO CAPTURES of the event flash by us in slide-show mode.


            AGENT RAY CUMBLERLAND studies the screen.  Ray is a career
            agent.  Dedicated and dogged to the point of annoyance,
            utterly humorless.  His office is cramped and institutional,
            devoid of any personal touches.  It's also overflowing with
            files, photographs, and charts concerning Blade and Whistler.


            A BULLETIN BOARD


            features numerous surveillance photos of Blade and Whistler in
            action, along with various news clippings and two WANTED
            POSTERS ("UNLAWFUL FLIGHT TO AVOID PROSECUTION - MURDER,
            AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING, ARMED VIOLENCE").  Most of the photos
            are blurry and indistinct -- akin to snaps taken of Bigfoot.


                                HALE (O.S.)
                     Ray!  Heard we've got a lead!


            WILSON HALE (20s), Ray's subordinate, rushes in, excited.  Ray
            stands, ripping down a photo of Blade and Whistler.


                                CUMBERLAND
                     Book us a flight, Hale.  Time to take
                     these cowboys down.


            CUT TO:

         
                                WHISTLER (0.S.)
                     Pack of Reds and some matches.


            CUT TO:


            INT. CONVENIENCE STORE - DAY


            Whistler is buying a pack of cigarettes when he notices	--


            A BLACK AND WHITE TABLOID


            on display nearby.  The cover story features a BLURRY PHOTO of
            Blade's recent melee with the vampires.


            Whistler picks up the tabloid, studying it.  Next to the photo
            is an ARTIST'S SKETCH OF BLADE.  The headline reads: "GUN
            TOTING PSYCHOPATH CAPTURED ON FILM!"


            Whistler nods to the CASHIER, hands over some more cash.


                                WHISTLER
                     I'll take this too.


            EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE - DAY


            Whistler exits the store, perusing the tabloid as he walks. 
            We hear the WHIR of a camera's HIGH-SPEED MOTOR DRIVE and --


            A SERIES OF DIGITAL SHOTS


            capture Whistler as he moves down the sidewalk.


            ANGLE ON AN FBI AGENT


            perched on a nearby roof, taking surveillance photos.


                                FBI AGENT
                     Subject is heading West.


            WHIP-PAN to a parked CAR, Cumberland and Hale seated within.


                                CUMBERLAND
                     Got him.


            Cumberland starts the car, starts following Whistler.


                                WHISTLER (0.S.)
                     Congratulations.  You're famous.  Just
                     what we needed.


            INT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - DAY


            CLOSE ON the tabloid as Whistler slaps it down on a workbench. 
            WIDEN to include Whistler and Blade.


                                WHISTLER
                     Somebody screwed us.  Your face is all
                     over the papers, the television.  Media's
                     eating it up.


                                BLADE
                     Like I care?


                                WHISTLER
                     You should.  Something like this --
                          (gesturing to the tabloid)
                     -- taking out a human, even one working
                     for the vampires -- far as the rest of the
                     world's concerned, you're public enemy
                     number one.


                                BLADE
                     Didn't realize this was a popularity
                     contest.


            Whistler shakes his head, frustrated.


                                WHISTLER
                     Damnit, Blade, don't you see what's
                     happening?!  The fuckers are finally
                     getting smart.  They're waging a goddamn
                     PR campaign.  Now it's not just vampires
                     we have to worry about, we're gonna have
                     to take on the rest of the world too.
                          (beat, adamant)
                     They've got us on the run.  These last few
                     months we've barely been staying ahead of
                     the curve.


                                BLADE
                     You worry too much, old man.


                                WHISTLER
                     I've been doing this since before you were
                     born, Blade.  The moment you stop
                     worrying, you're dead.


            Then Whistler's face softens for a moment.


                                WHISTLER
                     Since the day I found you, you've been
                     like a son to me.  I taught you everything
                     I know.
                          (beat)
                     But I'm tired.  You understand?

             EXT. INNER CITY STREET - NIGHT


            It's rush hour and the streets are choked with traffic. 
            PEOPLE mill past on the crowded sidewalk.


            We move from face to face, capturing brief portraits of
            working-class desperation -- an OVERWEIGHT GUY, a PAIR OF
            HOMELESS TEENAGERS, an ASIAN VENDOR, a STREETWALKER.


                                VOICE (O.S)
                     How about that one?


                                SECOND VOICE (O.S.)
                     No fatties.  They taste like Cheetos.


                                THIRD VOICE (O.S.)
                     What about that shrunken apple-head
                     beeyatch-a-saurus over there?


                                VOICE (O.S.)
                     Fucking blow me, man!


            We hear LAUGHTER and we WHIP-PAN over to a grimy office
            building, ZIPPING UP the face of it to --


            A ROOFTOP PARKING STRUCTURE


            A SKATE-PUNK (SQUID) gets some air, flipping his board up into
            a nice Ollie backside grab, then scoots over to --


            -- THREE MORE PUNKS perched on a concrete ledge, watching the
            people below them.  They are: PROOF, FLICK and DINGO.  All in
            their teens, sporting copious piercings and tattoos.  Flick
            wears a ratty T-shirt from "The Lost Boys" movie.


                                DINGO
                     C'mon, just pick one.


                                PROOF
                     Once you buy a prize, it's yours and
                     yours to keep.


            They keep looking.  Then, Flick suddenly points, excited --


                                FLICK
                     Got it, got it!  Baby on board!


            ANGLE ON A MOUSY WOMAN (ABIGAIL)


            moving below, her figure camouflaged beneath layers of
            clothing.  She's in her 20s, lugging a NEWBORN in a BabyBjorn
            carrier that's strapped to her chest, clutching a bag of
            groceries in either hand.  She looks a little haggard.


            As we watch, she reaches an elevated rail station entrance.


            BACK TO THE SKATE-PUNKS


            Dingo nods and smiles approvingly.


                                DINGO
                     Looks like we got ourselves a combo meal.


            EXT. ELEVATED RAIL STATION - VARIOUS - NIGHT


            A series of shots as Abigail makes her way into the station,


            passing a few other PEOPLE here and there.


            INT. ELEVATED RAIL PLATFORM - NIGHT


            A depressing, dimly lit, partially open-air station.  Abigail
            moves out onto the platform, which is now deserted.  She
            glances around, a bit nervous, and finally sits on a bench.


            Beat.  Just the wind MOANING in the tunnels, across the
            platform.  Then we hear a RUSTLING SOUND --


            Abigail looks right, sees nothing.  We hear ANOTHER SOUND,
            this time from the left --


            Abigail looks up, briefly glimpsing a FIGURE ducking behind a
            concrete pillar.


            Unnerved, she stands, moving a protective hand over her baby. 
            She backs up a few steps, trying to look around the pillar --


            -- but no one is there.  Then a SHADOW MOVES behind her.  She
            SENSES it, spinning --


            -- but again, she seems to be alone.  Thoroughly frightened
            now, Abigail scoops up her grocery bags, turns to exit and --


            -- slams right into Dingo and Proof!  She GASPS.


                                DINGO
                     Hey, pretty lady.


                                PROOF
                     Sophisticated mama.


            Dingo and Proof reveal their fangs.  Abigail SCREAMS, runs --


            -- right into the arms of Flick and Squid!  They grab her,
            RIPPING the BabyBjorn carrier from her chest, SHOVING her back
            at Dingo and Proof.


            In seconds, Dingo and Proof have Abigail on the floor. 
            They're tearing away at her clothing, LAUGHING.


                                DINGO
                     Scream if this hurts, chica!


            ON FLICK,


            removing the BABY from its carrier.  He holds the baby up -
            only it's not a baby.  It's a DOLL with the words "FUCK YOU!"
            written on its chest.  Flick is briefly confused --


            -- and then the baby doll EXPLODES, covering Flick's face with
            a cloud of GARLIC GAS!


            Flick recoils, retching, wiping at his burning face --


                                FLICK
                     --aghhk -- it's fucking garlic!


            ON DINGO AND PROOF,


            looking back, alarmed.  Then Abigail pulls her knee to her
            chest.  A SILVER SPIKE springs out from the toe of her boot.


            She KICKS UP, imbedding the spike up through the underside of
            Proof's chin.  Proof ASHES.


            Before Dingo has a chance to act, Abigail gets him in a
            leglock, FLIPPING him back onto his ass.


            ABIGAIL


            jumps to her feet, shedding her coat and hat.  Long tresses of
            hair spill around her shoulders.  She's not mousy at all.  In
            fact, she's beautiful.  And cut like an Olympic athlete.  And
            equipped with a walking arsenal of weapons.


            Dingo SNARLS -- CRUNCH!  Abigail plants her heel in his face,
            SMASHING IN his nose.  She does a cartwheel, KICKS him again.
            Follows that with flurry of PUNCHES.  He goes down as --


            -- Flick and Squid come charging!  Squid gets her in a CHOKE
            HOLD.  She FLIPS him over her shoulder, KICKING him in the
            nuts as he lands.  He curls up, GROANING --


            Abigail turns back to Flick, ELBOWING him in the throat --


            -- then returns to Squid, ejecting a SILVER THROWING KNIFE
            from a spring-loaded, automated dispenser strapped to her
            wrist.  She POPs the knife through Squid's chest.  He ASHES --


            FOLLOWING ABIGAIL


            as she reaches behind her, removing a CRESCENT-SHAPED DEVICE
            secured to her back.  She holds the crescent in the center,
            the curve pointing away from her, gives it a twist and --


            CHINKT!  The device extends from either end, telescoping
            outward into a three-foot long metal arc.  Connecting the two
            ends of the arc is a powerful, BUZZING UV LASER.


            Abigail LASHES OUT, lopping off Flick's arm.  His arm falls,
            ASHING.  Abigail swings the arc around, pushing it forward
            through Flick's mid-section like a cheese cutter --


            Flick literally falls apart, his upper torso sliding from his
            trunk, ASHING in the foreground, his burning particles falling
            away to reveal Abigail in the background --


            Dingo scrambles to his feet, running for his life.


            Abigail gives her UV arc a twist.  It retracts.  She secures
            it behind her back once again, unholsters a strange-looking
            "bloop" GUN with a large barrel.  She FIRES --


            A rapidly-expanding spherule of ANTI-PERSONNEL FOAM splatters
            against Dingo's legs, hardening instantly, tripping him up --


            Dingo goes down again.  He panics, trying to scrape the gunk
            off his legs, manages to get one of his hands stuck to the
            hardening mess in the process -- like a mouse in a glue-trap.


            Abigail calmly approaches.  She stands over Dingo, staring
            down at him with a look of cruel indifference.  She holsters
            her bloop gun, withdraws another SILVER STAKE --


                                ABIGAIL
                     Scream if this hurts, chica.


            -- and SLAMS the stake into his chest.


            WIDEN OUT


            Abigail turns, surveying her work.  The ashen remains of the
            vampires are popping and crackling like campfire embers.  In
            thirty-seven seconds she's managed to eliminate them all.


            A train approaches, pulls into the station.  PASSENGERS
            disembark, flood the platform.  They tramp all over the ashes
            of the vampires, completely unaware of the recent slaughter.


            Abigail walks against the stream of traffic, boards the train. 
            She is the sole passenger as the train pulls away.


            INT. BLADE'S REFUGE - WHISTLER'S ROOM - NIGHT	


            Whistler sits on a cot, contemplating the tarnished wedding
            ring on his hand.  He slowly spins it around his finger.


            INT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BLADE'S ROOM - NIGHT


            Blade sits before a small Buddhist shrine, meditating. 
            Incense burns.  His sword rests in a ceremonial holder.  Near
            silence punctuated by the intermittent ocean swell outside.


            CLOSE ON BLADE'S FACE


            We hear the SOUNDS OF VIOLENCE -- ECHOING SCREAMS, GUNSHOTS. 
            These are Blade's thoughts.  The inner demons he is constantly
            trying to tame.  The sounds CRESCENDO and --


            --	Blade opens his eyes.  He listens.  Something is wrong.


            INT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            Blade creeps into the outer room, sword drawn.


            NOISE behind him, turns to see --


            WHISTLER


            standing in the shadows, clutching a handgun.


                                WHISTLER
                     What is it?


                                BLADE
                     What you've been worrying about.


            They listen.  Just the sound of the ocean swell.  Then --


            A WINDOW SHATTERS


            TWO ARMORED SWAT AGENTS lower in on rappelling lines. 


            TWO MORE AGENTS


            CRASH through a bank of windows on either side, swinging in. 
            They FIRE cannisters of TEAR GAS.  As Blade moves to engage
            them, Whistler RUSHES into the heart of the armory --


            A reinforced door EXPLODES inward.  MORE AGENTS storm inside. 


            FROM THE WATER,


            a military Zodiac (inflatable boat) roars up one of the wooden
            boat ramps, laden with gun-toting AGENTS.  They jump out,
            fanning all over the boat house.


            He hears a


                                AGENT
                     On the floor!  ON THE FLOOR!


            Whistler FIRES at them, then makes a run for it.  The agents
            RETURN FIRE, but Whistler ducks behind a concrete pillar --


            EXT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            Cop cruisers, unmarked cars, and SWAT trucks sweep in, SIRENS
            blaring, disgorging a small army of POLICE and FBI AGENTS.
            POLICE BOATS are pulling up to the dock.


            AGENTS CUMBERLAND AND HALE


            emerge from an unmarked, wearing bullet-proof vests,
            brandishing firearms.  Cumberland barks orders into a radio.


                                CUMBERLAND
                     Lock it down!  Keep them contained!


            On the rooftops above, various SWAT SNIPERS take position.


            INT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            Blade BRAWLS with a half-dozen agents, sending them flying in
            all directions.  He grabs one agent, HEAD-BUTTS him, THROWS
            him into the path of two others --


            Then he reaches for another, THROWING him THROUGH a window at
            the rear, out into the river which runs below --


            ON WHISTLER


            as he moves with increased urgency.  The armory is filling up
            with tear gas.  Coughing and half-blind, he hurries to a bank
            of computers, types in a series of commands --


            THE VARIOUS COMPUTER MONITORS


            around him synch up, showing the same protocol message:


                            Data protection routine enabled


                          --	Server 1 protection enabled...


                          --	Server 2 protection enabled...


            In response, a rack of network storage equipment and removable
            hard drives EXPLODES.  Then a second rack of equipment
            EXPLODES as well.


            EXT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            From their vantage point below, Cumberland and the others can
            hear the explosions. Cumberland is on his radio, SHOUTING:


                                CUMBERLAN D
                     What's going on in there?


                                AGENT'S VOICE
                          (over radio)
                     Some kind of self-destruct program!
                     They're fragging their hard drives!


            INT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            Whistler keeps moving.  An agent gets a clear shot at him,
            FIRES -- Whistler is hit in the chest.


            Blade SEES Whistler take the hit, but he's cut off from the
            old man, being swarmed by agents --


                                BLADE
                     WHISTLER!


            Whistler staggers, keeps moving.  He makes it to another bank
            of computers, launches the same protocol.


            ON MORE MONITORS


            Erasing information, purging themselves.  We see commands:


                         --	Workstation 1 protection enabled


                         --	Workstation 2 protection enabled


            With each successive command, the workstations themselves
            begin self-destructing, EXPLODING one after another.


            Another agent gets a bead on Whistler, FIRING a round into
            Whistler's thigh.  Whistler SCREAMS --


            ON BLADE,


            in anguish as he sees his mentor being slaughtered.  Then two
            agents are RUSHING HIM, tackling Blade.  As one they fall
            backwards, into another bank of windows --


            EXT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            CRASH!  The three of them come FLYING DOWN in a spray of
            glass, landing atop one of the police cruisers below.  The
            roof buckles under their weight, windows SHATTERING --


                                CUMBERLAND
                     Take him down!


            An FBI AGENT raises a CODA net gun atop his shoulder, taking
            aim.  BA-BANG!  Four projectiles expand out from the barrel,
            carrying a STEEL NET which has been strung between them.


            The netting hits Blade, wrapping around him, restricting his
            movements.  Immediately, a small army of agents DIVE on top of
            him, PUMMELING AWAY, trying to beat him into submission --


            INT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            On the verge of losing consciousness, Whistler props himself
            against a piece of machinery.  He's bleeding, been shot to
            hell.  One of his hands is closed, clutching something.


            Agents warily close in around him, guns raised.


                                AGENT
                     Move a finger and you're dead.


                                WHISTLER
                          (flipping them off)
                     How 'bout this one?


            Whistler lets his other hand uncurl. He's got a REMOTE in his
            palm, with a tiny digital timer counting-down.


                                AGENT #2
                     He's got something in his--


            00:03.  00:02.  00:01.  The timer reaches zero.


            A SERIES OF EXPLOSIONS


            rock the workshop, knocking the agents back.


            EXT. BLADE'S REFUGE - BOAT HOUSE - NIGHT


            CLOUDS OF FIRE and FLAMING DEBRIS MUSHROOM OUTWARD, catching
            all unawares, sweeping them up off their feet with a hurricane
            force.  In the midst of the conflagration --


            -- Blade briefly manages to tear free of his captors --


                                BLADE
                     WHISTLER!!!


            -- but the wall of FIRE and LIGHT is rushing onward, sweeping
            up everything in its path, turning the world to white.


            INT. POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT


            FADE IN.  We are CLOSE ON Blade's perspiration-beaded face.
            His eyelids flutter as he slowly regains consciousness.


                                CUMBERLAND (O.S.)
                     Rise and shine, sleepyhead.


            PULL BACK.  We are in a room with a one-way mirrored window. 
            Blade sits, hands cuffed behind him, BRIGHT LIGHTS shining
            down on him.  He looks disoriented, battered.  Very weak.


            Cumberland and Hale are sitting across from Blade.


                                BLADE
                     Who --?


                                CUMBERLAND
                     Special Agents Ray Cumberland and Wilson
                     Hale, FBI.  We've been tracking you for a
                     long time.


                                BLADE
                     Whistler --


                                HALE
                     Dead.  Just like all of your victims.


            Blade shuts his eyes -- as if he could just wish them away.


                                CUMBERLAND
                     How many people have you killed?  Thirty?
                     Forty?  A hundred?


                                BLADE
                     Those were familiars -- people who worked
                     for them --


                                CUMBERLAND
                     And by "them" you mean vampires, right?
                     I suppose next you'll be telling us that
                     Bigfoot's in on the conspiracy too? So
                     what kills these bloodsu~kers, tough guy? 
                     Maybe you can give us some pointers.
                          (counting on his ringers)
                     You can stake 'em, right?  Then there's
                     sunlight -- what about crosses, Wilson? 
                     Do those still work?


                                HALE
                     I don't know, Ray.  What if a vampire's
                     Jewish?


                                CUMBERLAND
                     That's a good point.  And does garlic work
                     on a Hindu vampire?  Or do you need
                     saffron or something?


            Hale laughs.  Cumberland shakes his head, his smile fading.


                                CUMBERLAND
                     You can keep doing your song and dance as
                     long as you want, Blade, but it's not
                     going to play.  You're a stone-cold
                     killer.  And you're sick as fuck.


                                VANCE (O.S.)
                     Let's leave the diagnosis to the
                     professionals.


            ANGLE ON DR. EDGAR VANCE,


            standing in the doorway.  He's the man we saw on Larry King.
            He takes a seat by Blade, sets a leather case on a table.


                                VANCE
                     Hello, Blade.  My name is Doctor Vance.
                     I'm with the Department of Mental Health.
                     I've been charged with conducting a
                     psychiatric evaluation of you.
                          (to Cumberland and Hale)
                     Gentleman, would you mind giving us a few
                     moments alone?


            Cumberland nods.  They rise, exiting the room.  Vance smiles,
            trying to project a sympathetic air.


                                VANCE
                     I imagine this must be very frightening
                     for you.  But I want you to know that I'm
                     here to help.  In order to do that,
                     however, I need to ask you some questions.
                          (beat)
                     Now.  Can you tell me what day it is?


            Blade just stares daggers at Vance.


                                VANCE
                     What about the President?  Do you know
                     who's in the White House at the moment?


                                BLADE
                     An ass-hole.


                                VANCE
                          (sighing)
                     Alright then, let's talk about vampires --
                     what can you tell me about that?


            INT. POLICE STATION - OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT


            On the other side of the mirror, Cumberland and Hale have
            joined Chief Vreede.  We hear Blade and Vance via speakers:


                                BLADE
                     There's nothing to tell.  They exist.


                                VANCE
                     And are you one of them?


            INT.	POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT


            Vance sits forward, drawing closer.


                                VANCE
                     What about blood?   When you drink it, do
                     you find yourself sexually aroused?


            Blade just glares at Vance.


                                VANCE
                     You see, it strikes me that this business
                     of vampirism has strong connotations of
                     sexual confusion.  Bodily fluids being
                     exchanged, that sort of thing.  You have
                     to ask where that comes from.  I'm
                     wondering, for instance, what your
                     relationship was like with your mother.
                     Were the two of you close?


            Blade glares.  If he escapes, he's going to kill this guy.


            INT. POLICE STATION - OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT


            Dr. Vance steps into the observation room, joining Chief
            Vreede, Cumberland, and Hale.


                                VREEDE
                     What's your assessment, Doctor?


                                VANCE
                     He's psychotic, with paranoid features,
                     possessing dangerous levels of sociopathy. 
                     He's exhibiting disorganized behavior.  He
                     obviously doesn't have a properly formed
                     conscience --
                          (spreading his hands)
                     For his safety and the public's, I'm
                     recommending that he be transferred to
                     County Psychiatric for further treatment.


                                CUMBERLAND
                     That's unacceptable.  This man's wanted in
                     connection with a laundry list of federal
                     crimes.  I need him on a plane to the
                     Detention Center in Washington tonight.


                                VANCE
                     Agent Cumberland, that man is in no
                     condition to undergo prosecution.


            Cumberland and Hale look to Vreede with disbelief.


                                HALE
                     Chief, we've got a federal arrest warrant
                     here that clearly supersedes --


                                VREEDE
                     I don't care about your warrant.  We're in
                     my jurisdiction now.  You've got an issue
                     with that, you take it up with the local
                     magistrate.


            Dr. Vance shrugs as if to say he's sorry.


                                VANCE
                     I'm sorry, gentlemen, but the call has
                     already been made.  A team from the
                     hospital should be here momentarily to
                     oversee the transfer.


            INT. POLICE STATION - ENTRY WAY - NIGHT


            Asher, Danica, and Grimwood enter, followed by FOUR VAMPIRES
            dressed as orderlies.  The orderlies carry a straightjacket,
            various restraints, and a collapsible transport gurney.


            Danica approaches the DESK SERGEANT, flashing a hospital ID.


                                DANICA
                     Hi.  We're here to transfer a patient to
                     County General?


            INT. POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT


            Vance enters once more.  He opens the leather case on the
            table, removing a syringe and an ampule of fluid.


                                VANCE
                          (speaking softly now)
                     Just a little something to keep you
                     compliant.  The normal dose is two, maybe
                     three hundred milligrams.  But for a
                     strapping young hybrid like yourself --


            Vance pokes the needle of the syringe into the ampule.


                                VANCE
                     -- I think we'll kick it up to a couple
                     thousand.


            Vance reaches for Blade's arm.  Blade struggles, tries to pull
            back, but Vance manages to inject him nonetheless.


                                VANCE
                     There.  That wasn't so bad, was it?
                          (smiling)
                     You're weak, aren't you?  In need of your
                     serum.  Who would've guessed a mere human
                     like myself could overpower you?


                                BLADE
                          (realizing)
                     You're with them -- a familiar --


                                VANCE
                     Going on five years now.


            Vance extends his arm, pulling back his shirt cuff a little to
            reveal a VAMPIRE GLYPH tattooed on the underside of his wrist. 
            Then he pulls his cuff back down, smiles at Blade.


                                VANCE
                     It's the end-game, Blade.  All their plans
                     are finally coming to fruition.  So just
                     sit back and enjoy the show.


            Blade looks to the one-way mirror, SCREAMS.


                                BLADE
                     He's one of them!  Damnit, he's working
                     for them!


            Vance looks to the one-way mirror as well and shrugs as if to
            say -- "The man's deranged.  What can I do?"


            INT. POLICE STATION - OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT


            On the other side of the glass, Blade looks like a raging
            lunatic.  Vance enters.  He extends his hand to Vreede.


            They shake.  As they do so, we SEE a vampire GLYPH on the
            inside of Vreede's wrist as well.  Another familiar.


            INT. POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT


            Blade stares at his own reflection in the mirror.  He blinks,
            trying to focus -- but the drug is starting to kick in.


            INT. POLICE STATION - HALLWAY - NIGHT


            An elevator door opens.  Asher, Danica, and Grimwood exit,
            followed by the orderlies who are now wheeling the gurney.  As
            they move down the corridor, they pass --


            -- Cumberland and Hale, who are chasing down Chief Vreede.


                                CUMBERLAND
                     Just hold it right there --


            Danica shoves Cumberland aside, hard, keeps moving past him.


            Cumberland looks to Hale.  Something isn't right about this.


            INT. POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT


            Blade struggles, in the full throes of the drug now.


            BLADE'S POV


            His vision is blurring, various objects in the room leaving
            trails as he shifts his head from side to side and --


            ASHER, DANICA, AND GRIMWOOD


            enter, followed by two of the orderlies.  Despite his
            incapacitation, Blade attempts to rise.  Danica plants her
            heel in his chest, shoving him back down.


                                DANICA
                     Easy, lover. You're not going anywhere.


            She draws closer, enjoying herself.


                                DANICA
                     We moved the humans around like, pawns,
                     Blade.  Used them to flush you out.


            Blade tries to LUNGE from his chair at her and -- WHACK!
            Grimwood punches Blade across the jaw.  A brutal blow.


                                GRIMWOOD
                     Don't worry, Captain Sunshine.  Soon as we
                     get you out of here, you'll get a chance
                     to play.


            Danica motions to the two vampire orderlies.  They step
            forward with the straight-jacket, start to put it on Blade. 
            Blade THRASHES madly.  Asher LAUGHS, enjoying this.


                                DANICA
                     Don't make this any harder than it has to
                     be.  You're all alone, Blade.  No one can
                     help you now.


            BA-BOOM!  The one-way mirror SHATTERS, exploding outward in a
            shower of SLOW-MOTION GLASS FRAGMENTS, carrying with it --


            -- a BODY, one of the vampire mental health flunkies --


            ASHING in mid-air as he sails into the room!  Seconds later --


            A MAN


            VAULTS through the blown-out window, simultaneously drawing
            two high-tech electronic pistols.
            Meet HANNIBAL KING (30s), an audacious vampire hunter with an
            irrepressible grin.  Slapped to his chest is a "Hello, my name
            is" sticker with the words "FUCK YOU" written where the name
            should be.


                                KING
                     Why'd the Polish vampire starve to death?


            Danica spins, enraged, recognizing King instantly --


                                KING
                     He kept biting his own lip.


                                DANICA
                     King!


            The lights go out.  Immediately, backup lights come on,
            followed by FIRE ALARMS.  In the ensuing confusion ~ both
            pistols at Asher, who drops, allowing one of the vampire
            orderlies behind him to take the hit.


            THE VAMPIRE ORDERLY ASHES


            But unlike Blade's victims, he disintegrates from the inside
            out.  (The reason is King's signature bullets -- SUN DOGS,
            explosive rounds that give off concentrated UV light.)


            King whips around, FIRING at --


            -- Danica, who LEAPS behind the table.  She quickly upends it,
            using it as a shield, FLINGING it at King.


            ON BLADE


            He shifts his weight, throwing himself and the chair he's
            sitting on to the floor.  Then he KICKS OUT AND UP --


            -- connecting with Grimwood's mid-section, sending him FLYING
            BACKWARDS -- straight through the wall into the next room!


            King holsters one of his pistols and hauls Blade up.  At the
            same time, he FIRES on Asher again, missing him --


                                KING
                     Let's FLY, kemosabe!


            King drags Blade to the door --


            INT. POLICE STATION - HALLWAY - NIGHT


            -- into the neighboring corridor.  Cumberland and Hale SEE
            them.  They reach for their weapons --


                                CUMBERLAND
                     He's getting away!


            King FIRES into the room behind him, then pulls a GRENADE
            secured to a bandolier and tosses it through the doorway --


            An EXPLOSION rocks the interrogation room, filling the
            corridor with smoke, knocking Cumberland and Hale back.


            King turns his attention to Blade's handcuffs, FIRING between
            them, freeing Blade's hands.  Blade collapses against the
            wall.  He's shaking, close to passing out.


                                KING
                     Don't die on me, you undead motherfucker!


            King drags Blade up.  They continue down the corridor to --


            ABIGAIL, THE FEMALE VAMPIRE HUNTER


            we met earlier.  She's engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a
            half-dozen UNIFORMED OFFICERS.  Three of them are already
            down.  In seconds, she finishes off the other three.


                                KING
                     Whistler!  We need that serum NOW!


            Whistler?  Abigail spins, dispatching the last officer with a
            kick to the mid-section while tossing a PNEUMATIC INJECTOR at
            King.  He snatches it, places it in Blade's hands.


            Blade injects himself in the neck.  Moments later, he's
            reenergized.  He looks to King, clear-eyed.


                                KING
                     Hey Blacula, you ready to shake and bake?


            Blade responds by PUNCHING King across the jaw.


                                BLADE
                     Call me that again and I'll give you
                     fucking brain damage.


            King massages his jaw, tossing Blade a pistol even as --


            --	Grimwood rounds the corner, hungry for blood, TWO MORE
            VAMPIRE ORDERLIES behind him.


            Blade FIRES round after round of EXPLOSIVE BULLETS, causing
            Grimwood and the others to fall back.  Blade and King move,
            joining Abigail.  MORE SMOKE, darkness, only the emergency
            lights to illuminate the station.


            UP AHEAD,


            a group of POLICEMEN spill from a stairwell, armed with bullet
            proof vests.  They OPEN FIRE --


            Blade, King, and Abigail retreat into an alcove.  They're
            pinned down between the vampires and a group of policemen.


                                KING
                     We're pinned down!
                          (to Blade)
                     Can't you do something?!


                                BLADE
                     I can't shoot around corners!


                                ABIGAIL
                     I can.


            As King and Blade lay down COVER FIRE, Abigail reaches behind
            her, withdrawing a device that's been secured there.  She
            gives it a SNAP and it springs open, taking the shape of a --


            FUTURISTIC COMPOUND BOW


            Crafted from aluminum, its limbs imbedded in key positions
            with vibration-dampening modules, this bow is capable of
            firing an arrow upwards of 300 feet-per-second.


            Abigail withdraws a SILVER ARROW with a time-delay explosive
            tip from her quiver, nocks it in her bow and takes aim at --


            A FIRE EXTINGUISHER


            mounted at the end of the corridor.  She lets her arrow fly --


            MOVING WITH THE ARROW


            as it banks off the side of the fire extinguisher, continuing
            down the side corridor where it embeds itself in --


            -- the shoulder of one of the vampires!  The vampire SCREAMS,
            grabbing the shaft, ripping it out.  Then we --


            MACRO-ZOOM ON THE ARROW HEAD


            A tiny "egg-timer" dial on the arrowhead spins.  It CLICKS in
            place, a RED LED comes on, and --


            --	the arrowhead EXPLODES, catching all three vampires with
            the full force of a UV BLAST.  Grimwood ducks away from the
            blast as the other two vampires ASH --


            BLADE, KING, AND ABIGAIL


            come racing out of the alcove.  They reach a stairwell.  Blade
            RIPS a steel door clear off its hinges, tossing it down the
            stairwell at a phalanx of COP REINFORCEMENTS who are charging
            up the stairs.  The cops go down like ten-pins.


            Blade and company have an opening.  But as they charge
            downward --


                                BLADE
                          (as King and Abigail
                          freeze)
                     My sword.  They still have it.


                                KING
                          (apoplectic)
                     Are you insane?!  We're practically home
                     free!  We can't go hunting for your
                     fucking butter-knife now!


            But Blade is already heading back the way they came and --


                                KING
                     Hey!  HEY!!!  COME BACK HERE!!!  This is
                     supposed to be a rescue!


            -- Abigail grabs King's shoulder, pulling him to the stairs.


                                ABIGAIL
                     Forget it, King.  Let's move.


            POLICE STATION - NIGHT


            King and Abigail rush outside.  The station is gated. FLASHING
            POLICE CARS are surging through the mouth of the gate. 
            They're trapped.  Then --


            CRASH!


            A window on the third floor of the station EXPLODES OUTWARD. 
            Blade drops three stories, landing before King and Abigail in
            a cat-like crouch.  With his sword in his hand.  He looks at
            King, grins, flips him off.


                                BLADE
                     Now we can go.


                                KING
                          (nudging Abigail)
                     Is he epic or what?


            The police close in around them, pinning the trio down with
            FIREPOWER.  Yet King and Abigail seem unconcerned because --


            HEADLIGHTS


            are washing over them.  A beefed-up, 70s Land Cruiser is
            SCREAMING up the street.  The Cruiser jumps onto the sidewalk,
            SMASHES right through the gated wall.  SCREECHES to a stop
            between our trio and the police cars.


            A DRIVER (DEX)


            leans out his window, gives a little wave as the rear doors
            pop open.  Gruff and compact, he looks like a prize-fighter.


                                DEX
                     My name is Dex.  And I'll be saving your
                     ass this evening.


            Blade, King, and Abigail scramble into the back of the Land
            Cruiser.  Dex reverses, backing out the way he came.


            The police from the squad cars are FIRING, but the Land
            Cruiser is armored and the bullets harmlessly SPARK off.


            INT. LAND CRUISER - NIGHT


            In the backseat, Abigail looks through the rear windshield --


            ABIGAIL'S POV


            Grimwood is running after them, actually gaining on the Land
            Cruiser.  Chewing up the asphalt like a cheetah.


            EXT. LAND CRUISER - NIGHT


            Abigail leans out the rear window, nocking a non-UV arrow in
            her bow.  She takes aim at Grimwood, lets the arrow fly --


            SHUNKT!  The arrow sinks into Grimwood's eye.  He goes down,
            his somersaulting figure quickly receding into the background
            as the Land Cruiser speeds away.


            INT. LAND CRUISER - NIGHT


            Safe for the moment, King basks in the adrenaline rush of a
            battle well fought.  Meanwhile, Dex is on a cell phone.


                                DEX
                     We have him.  We'll be there soon.


                                KING
                          (to Blade)
                     So my entrance back there -- what do you
                     think?  Too flashy?  Right on the money?


            King unhuckles his combat harness, revealing a bullet-proof
            vest bereath it that's been riddled with imbedded slugs.


                                BLADE
                     Who are you people?


                                KING
                     My name's Hannibal King.  I'm a hunter,
                     like you.
                          (re: Abigail)
                     And this little hellion is Abigail
                     Whistler.


            Abigail just stares back at Blade, silently appraising him.


                                KING
                     That's right, Blade.  You're not hearing
                     things.  She's Whistler's daughter.  You
                     see, Abby, Dex, myself -- we're all part
                     of Whistler's "contingency plan".


            King reaches into an inner pocket, pulls out a pack of gum. 
            He selects a stick, offers one to Blade.


                                KING
                     Juicyfruit?


            EXT. CITY STREETS - NIGHT


            The Land Cruiser rockets away, disappearing into the night.


            EXT. LUNA PARK - NIGHT


            The Land Cruiser moves across an abandoned lot towards the
            weed-choked ruins of an old amusement park.  We pass by the
            skeletal remains of a roller-coaster, a tilt-a-whirl, the
            vandalized and wood-rotted remnants of a carousel.


            Finally, the Land Cruiser turns towards a motorized loading
            door in the side of a large warehouse and disappears inside.


            INT. WAREHOUSE/GARAGE - NIGHT


            As the door grinds closed, the Land Cruiser stops.  King and
            Abigail lead Blade through the darkness.  In the gloom we see
            a half-dozen vehicles in various stages of being retrofitted
            with armored panels and weaponry, etc.  SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
            mounted above track their progress.


                                BLADE
                     I thought the vampires murdered
                     Whistler's family.


                                ABIGAIL
                     They did.  I'm the product of an earlier
                     fling of my Dad's, born out of wedlock. 
                     After the murders happened, he kept me
                     hidden.  He wanted me safe.  Away from all
                     of this --
                          (gesturing around them)
                     -- but I guess hunting just runs in our
                     blood.


            As King and Abigail lead Blade towards a stairway, Blade
            catches sight of --


            A LITTLE GIRL (5)


            peering down at him from atop one of the rafters.  As soon as
            he spots her, she ducks into the shadows.


            They reach the stairway.  AUTOMATED GUNS mounted on swivel
            arms lock on them with infra-red targeting beams.


                                ABIGAIL
                     When I came of age, I tracked my Dad
                     down, told him I wanted in.
                          (beat, shrugging)
                     Been doing it ever since.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT


            We enter a sprawling industrial facility that is equal parts
            mechanics shop, firing range, and laboratory.  We glimpse a
            virtual arsenal of new weaponry and medical equipment,
            including DNA sequencers, microfuges, and electroporaters.


            The new equipment fights for space alongside the old -
            mountains of mothballed parts from the park's broken thrill
            rides.  Here and there we see the oversized fiberglass head of
            a grinning fun-house creature or the mildewed torso of a
            fortune-telling mannequin, frozen in its upended booth.


                                KING
                     Welcome to the honeycomb hideout.


                                BLADE
                          (looking around)
                     How do you bankroll this place?


                                KING
                     Internet porn.  See, we're using cock
                     suckers to pay for the blood-suckers.  
                          (off Blade's look)
                     Joke.  Come on, man.  This isn't some
                     piddly little hoopty-ass operation, Blade. 
                     We take our jobs very seriously.


            UP AHEAD,


            TWO OTHERS pause in their work as King approaches.  Dex falls
            in behind them.


            HEDGES (20s) is an engineer, always lost in his own world.


            SOMMERFIELD (30s) is a frail-looking geneticist.  She's also
            blind, operating her computers via a voice-synthesis program
            and Braille keyboard.


                                KING
                     You met Dex.  This is Hedges, Sommerfield--


            King gestures to them in turn.  They're all refugees in one
            way or another, sharing a common guardedness, their lives
            having been shattered by the vampires.


                                KING
                          (nodding back)
                     The runt you saw earlier is Sommerfield's
                     daughter, Zoe.  We call ourselves the
                     Nightstalkers.


                                BLADE
                     You sound like rejects from a Saturday
                     morning cartoon.


                                KING
                     We were gonna call ourselves the Super
                     Friends, but that was taken.


            Abigail rids herself of her weapons -- bow, arrows, silver
            stakes and knives.  She hands her compound bow to Hedges.


                                ABIGAIL
                     Tiller needs adjustment.


                                HEDGES
                     I'll run it through the bow press.


            Blade examines some of the equipment being developed.


                                BLADE
                     How many of you are there total?


                                KING
                     Enough.  We operate in sleeper cells. 
                     When one goes down, a new cell activates
                     to pick up the slack.  Consider us your
                     reinforcements.


                                BLADE
                     Sorry.  Never been much of a team player.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     I don't think you understand, Blade.
                     Whistler meant for us to help you.  When
                     he died, he activated an emergency
                     protocol.  All his knowledge --


            She gestures to the computer equipment around her.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     --was transferred to our servers here.


                                BLADE
                     And what makes you think you know so much
                     about killing vampires?


            King reaches for his collar, pulling it down to reveal a
            telltale mass of scar tissue in the shape of a BITE MARK.


                                KING
                     Well for starters, I used to be one.  
                          (in a sinister tone)
                     Do I pass the audition?


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. PHOENIX TOWERS - NIGHT


            We soar through the night sky, diving down towards a cluster
            of gleaming, high-tech spires.  As we isolate a penthouse
            apartment atop one of them we hear an ANGRY SCREAM.


                                DANICA (O.S.)
                     Fucking Hannibal King!


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT


            An impressively decorated loft bespeaking of money, power, and
            a certain perverse esthetic.  Danica slams her fist straight
            through the wall, then spins around, enraged.


            Asher and Grimwood are there too, their wounds being treated
            by Hendrix and a VAMPIRE TECHNICIAN.  At tie moment, they're
            trying to remove the arrow protruding from Grimwood's eye.


            An enormous ROTTWEILER sits nearby, attentively watching. A
            TRIO OF GUARDS flinch with every act of violence. Danica is
            strong.  Clearly, no one wants to get in her way.


                                DANICA
                     I should've ripped his ripped his
                     bleeding heart out when I had the chance!
                          (pointing at Asher)
                     And don't you dare tell me "I told you
                     so"!


            Asher raises his hands as if to say "no harm, no foul". 
            Danica continues her tantrum, SMASHING a statue apart,
            SHATTERING a heavy glass tabletop.  Finally, she gives it a
            rest, collapsing into a chair, shoulders sagging.


                                ASHER
                     You through remodeling?


                                DANICA
                     Blow me.


                                ASHER
                     Face it, Dan.  We got caught with our
                     pants down.  We underestimated the
                     Nightstalkers.


                                GRIMWOOD
                     Pants down?!  They practically fucking
                     ass-raped us!


            Grimwood GRUNTS in pain as the arrow is removed.  Asher
            broaches a more serious subject.


                                ASHER
                     Has he been told yet?


                                VOICE (O.S.)
                     About your failure?


            A MAN (30s) enters the room.  The same being we glimpsed in
            the vault.  He has a haunting gaze and a commanding presence.
            We will learn who he is momentarily.  But for now, it's enough
            to know that everyone in the room pays him deference.


                                MAN
                     Yes, I've been told.


            He places a hand on Danica's shoulder.  She tenses.


                                MAN
                     Perhaps it's time I entered the fray.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT


            CLOSE ON King buttoning his collar back up.  Blade, Abigail,
            and Sommerfield are gathered around him.


                                KING
                     You know the kind of woman that just
                     screams trouble? You see her and every
                     warning bell in your brain starts going
                     off but you still ask for her number? 
                     Well that's all I ever hook up with.  But
                     this betty blew 'em all away in the
                     shitstorm sweepstakes.


            King reaches out to a keyboard, calling up a piece of
            surveillance footage on a nearby monitor.  The footage
            features Asher and Danica and Grimwood.  It's been slowed to a
            near standstill and now advances frame by frame.


                                KING
                     Her name's Danica Talos.  You met her
                     earlier.  The man on her left is Asher,
                     her brother.


            King types a command.  The image ZOOMS IN, tracking Grimwood.


                                KING
                     The neanderthal behind them is Jarko
                     Grimwood.


            King freezes the footage on Danica's grainy, pixelated face.


                                KING
                     I picked Danica up in a bar, had a one
                     night stand with her -- then spent the
                     next five years playing step-and-fetch-it
                     as her little vampire cabana boy.
                          (beat)
                     Eventually Abigail found me.  Sommerfield
                     here managed to treat me with a cure.  Now
                     I kill them.
                          (beat)
                     That's called turning a frown upside
                     down.


                                ABIGAIL
                     We need to pool our resources, Blade.


                                BLADE
                     Why?


                                ABIGAIL
                     Because He's come back.


            King tosses a TOMB OF DRACULA comic book over to Blade.  Blade
            glances at the cover, then looks at them, incredulous.


                                BLADE
                     You gotta be kidding me.


                                KING
                     He's real, Blade.  Dig beneath all the
                     movies and myths.  All the layers of
                     bullshit that've cluttered our culture for
                     the last five hundred years and eventually
                     you'll strike the truth.


                                BLADE
                          (incredulous)
                     So the movies are true?


                                KING
                          (shaking his head)
                     The movies are just a comforting
                     fairytale compared to the real deal. 
                     There's no happy ending with this guy. 
                     Peter Cushing isn't going to run in at the
                     last second and save the day with a cross
                     and some holy water.
                          (re: the comicbook)
                     See, good old Brain Stoker, he wrote a
                     nice yarn.  But the events he described in
                     1897 were only a tiny piece of the mosaic. 
                     The rea1 Dracula's origin goes back much
                     earlier than that.


                                BLADE
                     How early?


                                ABIGAIL
                     Try six or seven thousand years.


            Off Blade's astonished look we --


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. MESOPOTAMIA - NIGHT


            FLASH!  We see the man we met earlier (DRACULA/DRAKE) on the
            banks of the river Euphrates, striding towards us, engaged in
            fierce battle with UBAIDIAN SOLDIERS.  He's clutching the same
            sword we saw in the ziggurat, clad in the same armor.


                                KING (V.0.)
                     Dracula's only one of the names he's gone
                     by.  Now they call him Drake.  If you
                     believe the legends, he was born in
                     ancient Sumeria.


            As Drake SLASHES his sword downward we CUT BACK TO --


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT


            -- King continuing his story. As the hunter's monologue
            progresses we will INTERCUT with Drake's own progression
            through history.  Brief, violent FLASHBACKS.


            (NOTE:  The backgrounds surrounding Drake will be
            expressionistic, digital composites, constantly shifting.  The
            focus of the flashes is Drake himself, fighting a shadowy
            horde, his attire continually evolving through time.)


                                KING
                     Nobody really knows the specifics of his
                     origin.  But we do know this:  he was the
                     first of his kind.  The patriarch of the
                     hominus nocturna.


            EXT. EGYPTIAN DESERT - NIGHT


            FLASH!  We are in Egypt now, circa 1650 BC.  Drake wages war
            against the HYKSOS.  He is closer to the camera.  And will
            continue to move closer with each successive flashback.


                                KING (V.0.)
                     Every single vampire -- every single
                     monster that's walked the earth since then
                     -- owes their existence to Him.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT


            Back to King, holding court before Blade and Abigail.


                                KING
                     He's like the Patient Zero of evil.  The
                     original Serpent in the Garden of Eden.
                     And just like the Great White shark, he's
                     never had to evolve.  This guy was born
                     perfect.  Scour the history books --


            EXT. THRACE - NIGHT


            FLASH!  The Peloponnesian War, Southern Thrace, circa 405 BC.
            We see Dracula battling ATHENIANS.  Even closer now, his face
            spattered with blood.  At the same time, the SOUNDTRACK is
            gradually swelling, expanding in complexity and volume.


                                KING (V.0.)
                     -- read between the lines --


            EXT. HUNGARIA - NIGHT


            FLASH!  5th century AD, battling the GOTHS.  With every swipe
            of his sword, we WIPE FORWARD into the future.


                                KING (V.0.)
                     -- you'll find countless references to
                     Him.  Always mentioned, never named.


            EXT. EUROPE - NIGHT


            FLASH!  8th century AD, the reign of Charlemagne.  Battling
            the VIKINGS.  The FLASHBACKS come faster now, assaulting us
            with ever-increasing rapidity.


            Drake continues striding forward while the rest of the world
            evolves around him, centuries whizzing by via computer
            generated time-lapse photography.


                                KING (V.0.)
                     He's been there --


            EXT. VARIOUS - NIGHT


            FLASH!  12th century AD, the time of the Crusades.  The
            violence intensifies.


                                KING (V.0.)
                     -- moving behind the scenes --


            FLASH!  17th century France, the time of Louis the XIV.  The
            pace becomes breathless.


                                KING (V.0.)
                     -- cutting a bloody path through the Ages
                     until suddenly --


            FLASH!  18th century Russia, the time of Peter the Great.  The
            soundtrack is THUNDEROUS.  Drake has become a bloody blur of
            bestial rage and unfettered horror and --


                                KING (V.0.)
                     -- just like that --


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT


            -- King SNAPS his fingers.  We are back in the present.


                                KING
                     -- he up and disappeared.  About a century
                     ago the trail went cold.  Then we heard a
                     rumor.  The vampires were searching for
                     him -- trying to find the place where he'd
                     retreated.  According to our information,
                     they found him in Iraq about six months
                     ago.
                          (beat)
                     And he was pissed.


            EXT. DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT - NIGHT


            Grime.  Neon.  Near-silence as the cacophonous soundtrack
            recedes into the background, replaced by the steady drone of
            inner-city TRAFFIC.


            ON DRAKE,


            viewed through a long-lens, clad in modern, casual attire,
            striding in SLOW-MOTION down a PEDESTRIAN-CHOKED sidewalk.


            Slower.  A HEARTBEAT.  The pulse of the people.  And over
            this, intruding, the Doppler effect WAILING of an approaching
            car as it rushes past us in a SCREEN WIPE until we are --


            OUTSIDE A GOTH STORE


            Drake studies a window display.  Halloween merchandise. 
            Costumes and monster masks and -- VAMPIRE NOVELTIES.  We see
            vampire lunchboxes, Dracula plush dolls, plastic fangs, key
            chains.  Even Dracula bobbleheads.


            Drake stands in stark contrast to the mass-marketed caricature
            on display before him.


            INT. GOTH STORE - NIGHT


            Drake enters. The store is crowded with low-end junky goods
            that might appeal to tourists visiting Hollywood Boulevard.


            A pallid, Goth-guy CASHIER sits behind a counter, eating from
            a takeout container.  He's wafer thin, with a detached
            attitude.  A snot.  Further back is a sultry GOTH VIXEN.


            Behind them, on a TV, a cartoon is playing. An animated
            vampire cavorts -- "LITTLE BIT" (like the Hot Stuff devil from
            Ritchie Rich comicbooks)


                                DRAKE
                     In the window -- you sell vampire
                     merchandise?


            Goth Guy looks up, wiping his mouth with a napkin.  Doesn't
            want to engage with Drake at all.


                                GOTH GUY
                     Uh, yeah -- look around, we might have a
                     few things.


            He and the Goth Vixen have a snicker at Drake's expense.  Then
            she tries to be a little more helpful.


                                GOTH VIXEN
                     We've got Dracula lunchboxes.  Did you
                     see those?  And there're bobbleheads, Pez
                     dispensers.  We've got just about
                     anything --
                          (selecting a vampire-
                          shaped vibrator, playful)
                     -- even vampire vibrators.


            As Drake looks around, what he sees matches his ascending
            rage.  Costumes, candles, vampire Christmas ornaments. 
            Posters from different films -- Nosferatu, Lugosi, Lee -- then
            Love at First Bite and The Little Vampire.


                                GOTH VIXEN
                     Here, check this out --


            She reaches into a case, pulling out a soft-drink.  The label
            reads: "DRA-COLA" and has a stylized vampire on it.


                                GOTH VIXEN
                     "Dracola".  Makes you want to cry,
                     doesn't it?


            Drake just stares at the can.  His mind seems to have
            retreated elsewhere.  Back through the ages.


                                GOTH VIXEN
                     Was there something special you needed?


            Drake doesn't respond.  A kind of melancholy has settled over
            him.  He's an outsider now.  The world has moved on.


                                GOTH-GUY
                     Hey, guy, she's talking to you.


            Drake looks up as Goth Guy pours a bowl of Count Chocula.


            EXT. GOTH STORE - NIGHT


            CRASH!  Goth Guy comes flying through the display window, his
            trajectory taking his body clear across the street and into
            the display window of the store opposite us.


            INT. GOTH STORE - NIGHT


            Goth Vixen SCREAMS.  Drake LASHES out.  hauling her over the
            counter.  He sinks his teeth into her throat, drinking her
            blood with wild abandon.  He consumes it so quickly that his
            skin flushes BRIGHT RED.


            Then Drake tears his head away, lifting his face upward as he
            flings the girl aside, unleashing an ear-splitting ROAR.  And
            for a brief moment, the bones of his face seem to shift, once
            again hinting at another shape Drake might take.


            EXT. THE CITY - VARIOUS


            DRAKE's ROAR echoes through the canyons of downtown.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. LUNA PARK - NIGHT/DAY


            Time-lapse.  The sun rises over the decrepit amusement park.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - ARMORY - DAWN
            Sunlight slices down through skylights, bathing Blade, King,
            Abigail, and Sommerfield in its warmth.  Zoe has joined them. 
            She's still cautious and shy, but she's also curious.


                                BLADE
                     Why wake up Drake now?


                                ABIGAIL
                     That's what we've been trying to figure
                     out.


                                KING
                     When I was under the fang there used to be
                     talk about some kind of vampire 'Final
                     Solution'.  But I could never figure out
                     why they'd want to destroy their food
                     source.  I mean, seems stupid, right? 
                     They've always had plans for the human
                     race.  Seems likely that whatever they're
                     cooking up, Drake's return is a part of
                     it.


            Blade nods, pensive.


                                KING (CONT'D)
                     Let's face it, Blade -- we're fighting a
                     losing battle. 
                     So we kill a few hundred of them a year. 
                     Big deal.  There are thousands of them out
                     there.  Maybe tens of th'usands.  We need
                     a new tactic.


                                BLADE
                     Like what?


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     A biological weapon.


            Sommerfield moves to her Braille keyboard, types.


            ON A NEARBY MONITOR


            we SEE a real-time magnified view of a virus replicating.


                                SOMMERFIELD (CONT' D)
                     For the last year I've been~working with
                     synthesized DNA in order to create an
                     artificial virus targeted specifically at
                     vampires.  We're calling it DayStar.


                                KING
                     Think about it, Blade.  We could wipe
                     them all out in a single move.


                                BLADE
                     So what's been holding you back?


                                SOMMERFIELD
                          (sighing)
                     We've tried it on a number of captive
                     subjects.  We've got the disease vector
                     worked out fine -- it's easily
                     transmittable.  But the lethality in
                     vampires is still spotty.


                                ABIGAIL
                     Bottom line is, we need a better DNA
                     sample to work with.
                          (beat)
                     We need Dracula's blood.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     Vampire DNA is a hodge-podge of different
                     genes, mixed in with all sorts of useless
                     junk DNA.  Because Dracula's the
                     progenitor of the vampire race, his DNA is
                     still pure.  It hasn't been diluted by a
                     hundred generations of selective mutation. 
                     It still has all the necessary cellular
                     compounds for the virus to code to.  We
                     get his blood, we can boost Daystar's
                     viral efficacy to a hundred percent.


                                KING
                     So.  You want to join our club?  Can we
                     sign you up for a Nightstalkers secret
                     decoder ring?


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. PHOENIX TOWERS - DAY


            Establishing.  The Sun at it's zenith


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - DRAKE'S QUARTERS - DAY


            A darkened room, relatively austere.  The only source of light
            are a series of small, slitted skylights in the ceiling above. 
            From these skylights, narrow, blinding white shafts of
            sunlight knife downward to penetrate the gloom.


            DRAKE


            sits in a chair, his body partially illuminated by one of the
            sunlight shafts, his face turned upward into its brilliance.


            FOOTSTEPS.  Drake opens his eyes, SEES Danica hovering in the
            darkness, just on the edge of a shaft of light.


                                DRAKE
                     This world sickens me.  The humans have
                     soiled it with their filth.


                                DANICA
                     We can raze their cities to the ground.
                     We can bring the old world back.


            Drake just stares at her, not convinced.


                                DRAKE
                     Come closer.


                                DANICA
                          (re: light)
                     I can't.


                                DRAKE
                     And do you know why?
                          (off Danica's silence)
                     Once, all of my kind could brave the day. 
                     We were true predators.  The world was
                     ours.  And then, somewhere along the way,
                     the purity of our bloodline became
                     diluted.  Polluted with human DNA.


                                DANICA
                     That's impossible --


                                DRAKE
                     Is it?


            Drake stands, drawing close to Danica.  He grips her wrist --


                                DRAKE
                     You are bastard children.  No longer as
                     pure as you pride yourselves on being.


            -- and pulls her hand towards one of the sunlight shafts.  To
            her credit, Danica keeps staring at Drake.  She'll be damned
            if she will give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.


            Drake pulls her hand closer to the light -- to the very edge. 
            And the tips of Danica's fingers begin to burn.  She winces,
            clearly in agony --


            -- and Drake releases her hand.  She cradles it against her
            chest, blinking away tears that have welled up in her eyes.


                                DRAKE
                     My people.  How far you have fallen.


            Drake reaches out, brushes a tear from Danica's cheek, then
            turns and walks away -- through the alternating shafts of
            sunlight and darkness.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - ARMORY - DAY


            Blade, King, and Abigail stand before a table where an
            assortment of weaponry and ammunition has been laid out on
            display.  Hedges is there too, assisting them.  Zoe watches.


                                HEDGES
                     We've got a wide assortment of ass-
                     kickery for your viewing pleasure --
                          (hefting a pistol)
                     Electronic pistol.  Comes with a built-in
                     fingerprint security system.  Fires a
                     three-shot burst in 1/500th of a second.
                     Bullets can also be triggered remotely.


            King tosses Blade a bullet.  He studies it -- it's more
            complex than a standard round.


                                BLADE
                     Explosive rounds?


                                KING
                     But with a concentrated burst of UV light
                     instead of your standard hollow-points.  I
                     call 'em sun dogs.
                          (to Hedges)
                     Hedges -- super-size me, baby!


            Hedges tosses King one of the four-barreled firearms.  On the
            stock is an irreverent decal of the mud-flap girl silhouette.


                                KING
                     This little mamacita -- a modified
                     version of the Army's Objective
                     Individual Combat Weapon.  Pick your
                     poison -- stakes, sun dogs, heat-seeking
                     mini-rockets.  Whatever gets you hard,
                     this puppy will pump out.
                          (gesturing to Blade's
                          sword, sarcastic)
                     Of course it doesn't have the range of a
                     sword but --


            Next, Hedges shows Blade the CRESCENT-SHAPED DEVICE that
            Abigail used.  He gives the device a twist and --


                                HEDGES
                     We call this the UV arc --


            CHINKT!  The device extends from either end, telescoping
            outward.  Connecting the tips is a concentrated UV LASER.


                                HEDGES
                     You hold the arc in the center, curved
                     away from you.  Connecting the tips is a
                     powerful UV laser beam.  Because of its
                     high focus, the laser cuts through vampire
                     flesh like a knife through butter.


                                KING
                     We're still trying to sort out fact from
                     fiction when it comes to Dracula.  Turning
                     into mist?  Kinda doubt it.  But general
                     shape-shifting?  Maybe.


                                HEDGES
                          (off Blade's look)
                     Not into a bat or a wolf or anything like
                     that.  But another human, someone with the
                     same approximate body mass -- given enough
                     practice it might be possible.


                                BLADE
                     How?


                                HEDGES
                     He wouldn't have a traditional skeletal
                     structure.  Probably something more like a
                     snake, with thousands of tiny bones in the
                     place of a normal array.  Commensurate
                     with this would be an exquisite control of
                     electrical potential across his tissues,
                     resulting in an ability to effectively
                     change shape at will --


                                KING
                          (raising his hand)
                     Question.  Have you ever been laid,
                     Hedges?


            CUT TO:


            INT. WAREHOUSE/GARAGE - DAY


            Blade, King, and Abigail, newly suited up for war, moving
            towards the Land Cruiser.


                                BLADE
                     Time to apply some pressure.  The weak
                     link in the vampire chain of command has
                     always been their familiars.  Vampires
                     can't go out in the day, so they get
                     humans to do their dirty work for them
                     Blood-running, safe house maintenance,
                     whatever --
                          (climbing in the Cruiser)
                     We bleed the wanna-be vampires, they'll
                     lead us to the real thing.


            Blade starts the ENGINE.


            INT. LAND CRUISER - DAY


            Blade looks to Abigail, who sits in the back.  She has a
            laptop on her knees and is assembling an MP3 playlist.


                                KING
                     She's making playlists.  Likes to listen
                     to MP3s when she hunts.  Her own internal
                     soundtrack, you know?  Dark-core, trip
                     hop, whatever kids these days are
                     listening to.  Me?   I'm more of a Kenny G
                     fan.


            Finished, Abigail slips her earbuds into her ears, turns on
            her portable MP3 player.  MUSIC CUE.  The smoking bassline of
            Jurassic 5's 'A Day At The Races' kicks in as --


            EXT. CITY STREETS - VARIOUS - DAY


            -- Blade, King, and Abigail cruise the streets in a jagged
            fast-forward montage.


            EXT. SEEDY BAR - DAY


            The Land Cruiser jumps the curb, SCREECHING to a stop in front
            of a scuzzy bar.  Amidst a wall covered with graffiti and
            flyers we see a vampire glyph.


            INT. SEEDY BAR - DAY


            BANG!  Blade KICKS open the door.  A couple of LOW-LIFES take
            notice.  Blade moves around the bar, opening a refrigerator -
            we see packs of REFRIGERATED BLOOD inside.


            One of the low-lifes takes off running, back past the
            bathroom, shouldering a door at the rear --


            EXT. SEEDY BAR - REAR ENTRANCE - DAY


            --	STUMBLING right into Abigail's arms.  She trips him up,
            swinging him around, pinning an arm behind him.  She pulls the
            back of his collar down, sees a VAMPIRE GLYPH --


            We can't hear what the familiar is saying, but he's squealing,
            raising his hands in a "please don't hit me anymore" manner.


            EXT. CITY STREETS - VARIOUS - DAY


            The Land Cruiser rockets down the streets.


            EXT. VAMPIRE SAFE HOUSES - VARIOUS - DAY


            In quick succession we see a half-dozen underworld dives --


            -- a pool hall --


            -- an internet cafe --


            -- an electronics repair shop --


            All are fronts for vampire operations, featuring back rooms
            with refrigerated blood and high-tech coffin-like beds where
            the vampires can safely sleep through the day unmolested.


            In each new location, Blade, King, and Abigail resort to
            oldfashioned strong-arm tactics:


            -- Blade HEAD-BUTTS a familiar.


            -- King PUNCHES a familiar across the jaw.


            -- Abigail KICKS a familiar in the stomach.


            Cut to a flurry of EXTREME CLOSE-UPS of VAMPIRE GLYPHS being
            exposed on the backs of familiar's necks, one after another --


            THEN A MONTAGE OF FACES


            as familiars have their heads cainfully SMASHED against --


            -- walls --


            -- car hoods --


            -- pool tables --


            -- into windows and doors and garbage cans.


            The bullying moves come faster, the shots becoming more and


            more abstract until --


            EXT. CITY ROOFTOP - DAY


            -- WHAM!  Blade tosses HOOP, a skinny familiar, off a roof. 
            It's a four story drop.  Hoop falls, SCREAMING -- but then
            jerks to a stop about twenty feet down, dangling upside down.


            We see now that Hoop has rope tied around one of Hoop's
            ankles.  And Blade is clutching the other end of the rope.


            Blade hauls Hoop back up -- but still keeps him dangling
            upside down.  King and Abigail look on.


                                BLADE
                     Want another spin, ass-hole?  Eventually,
                     your head's gonna pop off.


                                HOOP
                     Shit!  Oh Jesus, please, please --


                                BLADE
                     Who's your handler?


                                HOOP
                     I don't know his name, I swear I --


            Blade prepares to drop Hoop again --


            -- but a CELL PHONE in Hoop's jacket RINGS.  Blade fishes it
            out.  The screen reads:  EDGAR VANCE, 555-5631.


            EXT. CITY STREET - DAY


            Dr. Vance, the psychiatrist who gave Blade the mental
            evaluation, is cruising in his Pacific Blue XKB convertible
            Jaguar.  He's wearing sunglasses, talking on his cell phone.


                                VANCE
                     This is Dr. Vance.  Did someone page me?


            EXT.  CITY ROOFTOP - DAY


            Blade ends the call, then looks to Hoop, smiling cruelly.


            Blade lets Hoop drop.  The familiar PLUNGES four stories,
            SCREAMING.  Lands dead-center in a Goodwill box below.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. VANCE INSTITUTE FOR WHOLE BEING - DAY


            A high-tech office complex surrounded by meticulously-groomed
            grounds.  A sign with a swanky "VANCE INSTITUTE" logo zooms.


            Blade, King, and Abigail approach, taking note of Vance's
            Jaguar (complete with vanity plate), parked in front.


                                KING
                     Hey, Blade -- why didn't the vampire bite
                     Mick Jagger?
                          (off Blade's look)
                     Cause you can't get blood from a Stone.


            As Blade walks off --


                                KING (CONT'D)
                     Hey, they can't all be gems!


            INT. VANCE INSTITUTE FOR WHOLE BEING - LOBBY - DAY


            The trio enter, drawing stares from a number of PATIENTS
            gathered in a reception area.  Nearby is a large display with
            Vance's grinning face.  Beneath it, text reads:


                                  EDGAR VANCE, M.D.


                      PRESIDENT, VANCE INSTITUTE FOR WHOLE BEING


            Nearby is a bank of monitors showing a snazzy video featuring
            a BEAUTIFUL YOUNG COUPLE marvelling at a sunrise.


                                NARRATOR
                          (on monitors)
                     Regain control of your life.   Wake to a
                     new dawn.  At the Vance Institute for
                     Whole Being we believe in an integrated
                     approach to human health.


            The image cuts to Vance himself, poised on the edge of his
            desk, smiling.  As Blade and company move through the
            institute, the video plays counterpoint to their progress.


                                VANCE
                     I'm Dr. Vance.  Welcome to our facility.
                     As a member of the medical profession I
                     want to assure you that I will do
                     everything in my power ro provide you with
                     the care and compassion that you deserve.


            Past the RECEPTION DESK are the elevators with more monitors
            showing the video greeting.  As Blade, King, and Abigail
            approach, TWO SECURITY GUARDS move to intercept them.


                                SECURITY GUARD
                     Excuse me, can I help y--


            CRACK!  Blade effortlessly tosses the guards aside, sending
            them CRASHING into the nearest monitors.


            INT. VANCE INSTITUTE - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS


            The trio continue.  A DOCTOR steps out of a doorway.  King
            PUNCHES him in the face.  We see another video monitor.


                                VANCE
                     What does it mean to be human?  Since the
                     dawn of creation our ancestors have asked
                     ourselves that question.


            They round the corner --


            INT. VANCE INSTITUTE - SECOND HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS


            -- nearly colliding with TWO MORE SECURITY GUARDS.  Blade
            takes them both out.  There's another video monitor.


                                VANCE
                     The modern world today is filled with
                     countless challenges.  In every direction
                     we look, toxic stressors are impacting
                     upon our happiness.  We think we're
                     healthy, but the truth is, our immune
                     systems are engaged in a life or death
                     struggle to maintain our well being.


            INT. VANCE INSTITUTE - OUTER OFFICE - CONTINUOUS


            Blade, King, and Abigail storm in.  An EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT is
            moving to stop them.


                                EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
                     I'm sorry but you can't --


            Abigail KICKS out the man's knee, then slices her hand into
            his windpipe, silencing him.


                                VANCE
                     Now, I'd like to take a moment to exolain
                     how a series of remarkable new
                     breakthroughs can immeasurably improve the
                     quality of your life


            Blade aims his shotgun at the door leading to Vance's office.
            He FIRES at the keycard lock, KICKS down the door --


            INT. VANCE INSTITUTE - VANCE'S OFFICE - DAY


            --	startling Dr. Vance himself, who is rising up from behind
            his desk.  Vance is wiping his mouth, not dressed like a
            doctor would normally be.  But we hardly notice this as --


                                VANCE
                     What --?


                                BLADE
                     Payback, Vance.


            --	Blade aims his shotgun at Vance's head.  Vance just
            smiles, seemingly unconcerned as --


            --	Abigail circles around the other side, getting a view
            behind Vance's desk where --


            VANCE'S BODY


            lies on the floor.  His throat has been ripped out.  And this
            body is dressed like a doctor.


            King puts it together first, reaching for a silver stake even
            as we hear the sound of POPPING CARTILAGE coming from beneath
            the Vance double's flesh --


                                KING
                     Jesus, it's him!  It's Drake!


            The Vance double jumps atop the desk and swats the muzzle of
            Blade's shotgun aside, re-directing the BLAST, which SHATTERS
            a glass window.  Then he KICKS Blade in the chest, KNOCKING
            him clear across the office as --


            --	King advances.  The Vance double's face WARPS, the bones
            in his head shifting around.  He reaches for King, SLAMS him
            onto the desk, TWISTS the stake from King's hand and brutally
            SHOVING it into King's rib cage, pinning him to the desk top.


            Then the Vance double whirls around to engage Abigail -- only
            we see that it's Drake now, having taken Vance's shape.


            DRAKE


            BACK-HANDS Abigail across the face, a teeth-jarring blow.


            She spins, falling --


            -- and Drake is moving like a hurricane, LEAPING through the
            window that was shattered by Blade's shotgun blast.


            BLADE


            gives chase.  He looks out the window, SEES Drake landing on
            the ground, some three stories below.


            EXT. VANCE INSTITUTE - REAR ENTRANCE - ALLEY - DAY


            Drake runs with inhuman speed.  He effortlessly scales a chain
            link fence, then BARRELS straight through a wooden barricade,
            sailing over a trash dumpster.  Seconds later, Blade follows,
            catching sight of Drake rushing out into --


            EXT. STREET MARKET - VARIOUS - DAY


            -- a crowded urban market.  What unfolds is a foot-chase at
            super-human velocity.  Vampire and hunter are moving at least
            twenty miles an hour, BATTERING ASIDE various pedestrians,
            SMASHING through and over stalls of merchandise.


            EXT. BUSY STREET - DAY


            Drake emerges onto the sidewalk of a busy street, four lanes
            of rush-hour traffic WHIZZING PAST.


            Abruptly, Drake cuts into the traffic, LEAPING atop the hood
            of an oncoming car.  The car's HORN sounds, brakes SQUEAL.


                                BLADE FOLLOWS,
                     jumping onto the hood of another car. More
                     HORNS sound.


            In this manner. Drake and Blade race across the flowing
            traffic itself. using the hoods and roofs of the cars like
            moving stepping stones.


            ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET


            Drake mounts the steps of an older apartment building,
            THUNDERS his way through the main entrance --


            INT. OLDER BUILDING - STAIRWELL/CORRIDOR - DAY


            Blade is on Drake like a shadow.  We're internal now, the
            sound of Blade's LABORED BREATH moving to the foreground of
            the soundscape.


            Chaos.  A BARKING DOG darting from a doorway.  Up ahead, an
            OLD MAN has been knocked over.  An insane dash up two flights
            of stairs, then down a corridor, passing MORE TENANTS. 
            Somewhere, a WOMAN SCREAMS.  We hear GLASS BREAKING and --


                                WOMAN
                     My baby


            -- there's another open door --


            INT. OLDER BUILDING - APARTMENT - DAY


            -- Blade tears into an apartment, passing a HYSTERICAL WOMAN,
            an upended crib.  He SEES a broken window by a fire escape --


            EXT. OLDER BUILDING - FIRE ESCAPE - DAY


            Cut onto the fire escape.  A glimpse of Drake overhead.


            Blade clambers up the fire escape, moving in a near-blur.  One
            story of steps up the rickety metal ladder --


            SMASH!  A LARGE PLANTER comes down from above, nearly striking
            Blade.  He lets go with one hand, swings outward --


            -- then he's climbing again.  A CLOUD OF PIGEONS take wing,
            flapping frenetically about him, momentarily blinding him.


            Another story, a third, a fourth.  As he reaches the top,
            Blade jumps, catching the edge of the roof above him --


            EXT. OLDER BUILDING - ROOFTOP - DAY


            -- FLIPPING himself over and onto the roof.  He lands in a cat
            stance, drawing his sword, quickly scanning the area.


                                DRAKE (O.S.)
                     So you're the hunter they all fear.


            Blade spins --


            DRAKE


            stands on the ledge of the roof, cradling an INFANT in his
            arms.  In the full glare of the afternoon sun.


                                DRAKE
                          (re: infant)
                     Just so we understand each other,
                     Daywalker.


            With his free hand, he massages his jaw.  We hear a few more
            Pieces of POPPING CARTKAGE as the very last of Drake's
            cermanent features seem to settee into clace.


                                BLADE
                     Why did you kill Vance?


                                DRAKE
                     He'd outlived his purpose.  He'd become a
                     liabi1ity.


            Drake nods at Blade's sword --


                                DRAKE
                     Your sword -- I've seen that hilt before. 
                     Eight or nine centuries ago.  The hunter
                     who carried it was an accomplished
                     fighter.


            EXT. SEASIDE CLIFF - DAY (THE PAST)


            Drake in his armor, head to head with a 14th century VAMPIRE
            HUNTER.  The hunter has BLADE'S SWORD.  Drake tears the sword
            from the hunter's grasp, turns it around, thrusts it back
            through the man's chest.  And as the man GASPS we are --


            EXT. OLDER BUILDING - ROOFTOP - DAY (THE PRESENT)


            -- back to here and now.


                                DRAKE
                     He was honorable, in his own way.  He
                     died a good death.


                                BLADE
                     I wouldn't know about that.


                                DRAKE
                     You lie.  You're part of a grand
                     tradition, Blade.  You hunters have
                     plagued my people since the day we first
                     walked the earth.  And I have vanquished
                     them.  One by one.


            Blade pauses, looking for some kind of opening.


                                BLADE
                     How can you exist in the daylight?


                                DRAKE
                     I've always been able to.  Haven't you
                     read Mr. Stoker's fable?  I was the first
                     of the vampires.  I am unique.


                                BLADE
                          (realizing)
                     That's why they brought you back.


                                DRAKE
                     Yes.  My children seek to isolate the
                     properties in my blood that make me immune
                     to sunlight.  Through me, they believe
                     they can all become Daywalkers.


            Drake glances down at the street people.  Throngs of PEOPLE
            are massing there, pointing up at him.


                                DRAKE
                     The world's changed much since I went to
                     sleep.  How crowded it's become.  Look at
                     them down there.  Lives brief as
                     fireflies.  Do you think they can ever
                     grasp what it means to be immortal like
                     us?


                                BLADE
                     You're not immortal.  I must've heard a
                     hundred of you people make the same claim. 
                     And every one of them's seen the end of my
                     sword.


            Drake smiles, intrigued by an obviously worthy opponent.


                                DRAKE
                     Perhaps I will as well, then.  But I think
                     it's more likely that you will fall before
                     mine.
                          (beat)
                     Catch.


            Drake tosses the infant at Blade.  Blade twists around to
            catch it, scooping it safely up.  But when he looks back --


            -- Drake is gone.


                                KING (O.S.)
                     Shit!


            INT. VANCE INSTITUTE - VANCE'S OFFICE - DAY


            CLOSE ON King being propped up against the wall by Abigail.
            Blade has joined them.  King is in terrible pain.


                                KING
                     Jesus, it hurts.  I wanna be a vampire
                     again -- fuck!  Did you see that guy?!
                     We're gonna lose, man.  We're gonna
                     fucking lose.


            Abigail ignores King, cuts open his shirt.  She removes a
            small aerosol cannister from her belt.


                                BLADE
                     What's that?


                                ABIGAIL
                     Fibrin sealant foam, it's an elastic
                     protein.  Help me spread the wound open.
                     The foam should seal the hemorrhaging in
                     his body cavity from within --


            Together they spread the wound apart.  King is really hurting,
            breathing hard as he tries to fight back the pain.


                                KING
                     Hey, hey -- what'd the one lesbian
                     vampire say to the other?


                                ABIGAIL
                     Shut up, King.


                                KING
                     -- see you in twenty-eight days --


            King's voice trails off as he passes out.  Abigail triggers
            the dispenser, spraying a jet of compressed foam into it.  The
            foam condenses, sealing the wound up.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - DAY


            Blade and Abigail enter the HQ, hauling King between them. 
            Dex and Hedges rush to meet them, relieving them of King.


            Exhausted and covered in blood, Abigail retires to her
            quarters, stripping off her clothes.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS' HEADQUARTERS - SHOWERS - DAY


            Abigail stands beneath (he showerhead, turning her face up
            into the scalding spray, rinsing the blood from her body.


            CLOSE ON the drain by her feet, BLOOD swirling down it.  


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - INFIRMARY - DAY


            King drowses on a cot.  His shirt is off and his chest has
            been bandaged.  He opens his eyes, SEES Blade above him.


                                KING
                     Hey, Blade -- say we're successful.  Say
                     we wipe the vampires out.  What happens
                     then?  You ever ask yourself that?
                          (weakly)
                     Somehow I don't picture you parked on a
                     porch with a jigsaw puzzle.


            King drifts back into unconsciousness again, leaving Blade
            left to ponder his words.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - LABORATORY AREA - DAY


            Later, Sommerfield and Hedges consult with Blade and Abigail.


                                HEDGES
                     So basically we're in an arms race.
                     They're using Drake's DNA to build
                     themselves a better vampire --


                                BLADE
                          (noddin)
                     -- and we need his blood to kill them.
                          (to Sommerfield)
                     How's this weapon of yours coming along?


                                SODDERFIELD
                     We're almost there --


            She gestures to a series of ampule-like prototypes.  (We'll
            see the completed version of this device later on.)


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     The virus is harmless to humans.  So we
                     decided to go after the vampires' food
                     source.  The one thing we know for sure
                     about vampires is that they have to drink
                     blood. 
                     If we manage to pull this off, we'll be
                     able to contaminate every blood source on
                     the planet.  They won't have anyone left
                     to feed on.


                                ABIGAIL
                     Doesn't do us any good if we don't have
                     time to finish it.  We can't just sit
                     here.  We need to take the battle to them.


            Sommerfield lowers her head, thinking.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     If the vampires are trying to isolate the
                     hereditary factor in Drake that makes him
                     immune to sunlight, they'll require
                     certain kinds of laboratory equipment and
                     provisions.  For instance, there's an
                     enzyme called Taq Polymerase.  And there
                     are only a limited number of suppliers.
                          (beat)
                     Give me a few hours.  I'll see if I can't
                     hunt us up some leads.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT


            Moving towards the mirrored windows we hear LABORED BREATHING.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - DRAKE'S QUARTERS - NIGHT


            CLOSE ON hands clasped together -- a man and a woman's.


            CLOSE ON Danica' s face, covered in sweat, in the throes of
            passion.  She looks up, eyes glazed --


            PULL BACK to reveal Drake, propped above her, thrusting away.
            Danica has her limbs wrapped around Drake, holding on for dear
            life.  Both are awash in moonlight.


            The two of them climax.  Drake withdraws, studying Danica. 
            She's naked but for the tiny silver crucifix she wears around
            her neck.  Drake nudges the crucifix with his finger.


                                DRAKE
                     Why do you wear that -- symbol?


                                DANICA
                          (defensive)
                     Old habits --


            She sits up, draping a sheet over her.


                                DANICA
                     I was a good Catholic school girl	Once.


            Drake nods, his thoughts distant.


                                DRAKE
                     I was there when they crucified him.  He
                     died -- for their sins, not mine.


                                DANICA
                          (playful1y)
                     And what are your sins?  Would you care
                     to confess them?


                                DRAKE
                          (shaking his head)
                     Too numerous to remember.
                          (nodding at the crucifix)
                     Take it off.


                                DANICA
                     Why?


                                DRAKE
                     I'll make you a better one.


            Drake draws her in, biting her gently on the neck, sinking his
            fangs into her flesh.  He pulls his head back.  Two rivulets
            of BLOOD trickle from the fresh wounds.


                                DRAKE
                     There's an old saying --


            Drake reaches for the sheet, pulling it away from Danica's
            chest.  Then he dips his fingertips into her flowing blood -
            PAINTING a long streak of it down between her breasts.


                                DRAKE
                     Kill one man, you're a murderer. Kill a
                     million, a king.
                          (smiling)
                     Kill them all, a God.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - STORAGE AREA - NIGHT


            CLOSE ON a pneumatic injector.  PULL BACK to reveal Blade
            injecting himself with his serum.  No pain.  No violent spasms
            like before.  Blade's body now accepts the serum.


            ANGLE ON ZOE,


            crouched on an old piece of carny equipment, watching him.


                                ZOE
                     Why do you do that?


                                BLADE
                     There's something bad inside of me.  This
                     keeps it from getting out.


            Zee considers this.


                                ZOE
                     Why can't you just be nice?


                                BLADE
                     Good question.


                                SOMMERFIELD (0.S.)
                     I think I've got a lead.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - LABORATORY AREA - NGHT


            Sommerfield stands at her computers, reading a tactile Braille
            display.  Blade and Abigail are nearby.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     Biomedica Enterprises.  They've been
                     buying up all sorts of supplies -- Taq
                     polymerase, bone marrow growth supplement,
                     genetic sequencing enzymes.


                                BLADE
                     We'll check it out.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            EXT. BIOMEDICA ENTERPRISES - NIGHT


            A high-tech research park.


            INT. BIOMEDICA ENTERPRISES - LAB - NIGHT


            Hendrix, the vampire doctor we saw earlier, sits at a computer
            workstation.  Chief Vreede confers with him.  We hear a KNOCK
            at the door.  Hendrix looks to Vreede.  They obviously weren't
            expecting anyone.


            Hendrix moves to the door, checking a surveillance monitor. 
            He can't see anyone outside.  He shrugs, turns to leave and --


            CRUNCH!  The door is SMASHED inward, taking much of the door
            frame with it, flattening Hendrix.


            Blade and Abigail step inside.  As Blade hauls Hendrix up from
            the ground, Abigail points her already drawn gun at --


            CHIEF VREEDE


            He was reaching into his jacket for his own piece, now thinks
            better of it.


                                BLADE
                     Doing a little moonlighting, Chief?


            Blade nods to Abigail.  She reaches onto Vreede's jacket to
            disarm him.  Blade grips Hendrix by the shirt collar.


                                BLADE
                     C'mere.  We need to talk.


            Blade PUNCHES Hendrix in the face.  Hendrix sags for a moment,
            stunned.


                                BLADE
                     Now spill it, bite-boy.


                                HENDRIX
                          (wiping a bloody nose)
                     You know what we're doing.  Drake has come
                     back to us.  Soon we'll all be Daywalkers.
                     And when that day comes, the world will
                     truly be ours.


            Blade nods towards the back of the lab where another door -- a
            very secure one -- is located.


                                BLADE
                     What's back there?


            Hendrix shoots a quick look to Vreede.  Then he turns on
            Blade, all fangs and claws, trying to tear Blade's eyes out --


            Abigail FIRES her UV gun with blinding speed and --


            -- Hendrix is dead before he knows it.  ASHING all over Blade.


            Blade brushes Hendrix' s remains from coat collar, shoots
            Abigail a look:  "Did you really have to do that?"


                                BLADE
                          (dryly)
                     Thanks.


            Abigail cringes.  Mea culpa.


            Blade looks to the floor.  Aside from some cinders, all that
            remains of Hendrix are his glasses and a singed keycard. 
            Blade picks up the keycard, looks to Vreede.


                                BLADE
                     What's behind Door Number One?


                                VREEDE
                     They'll kill me --


                                BLADE
                          (an evil grin)
                     So will I.  But I'll enjoy it more.


            Vreede nods.  They move towards the door.  Blade slides the
            security card.  An inset light changes from RED to GREEN. 
            Vreede punches in a numeric code.  The doors slide open --


            INT. BLOOD FARMING FACILITY - MAIN ROOM - NIGHT


            Blade, Abigail, and Vreede emerge into a cavernous room.


                                ABIGAIL
                     God in Heaven --


            HUNDREDS OF HUMAN CADAVERS


            hang from gantries, preserved in fluid-filled pods, suspended
            by wires like nightmarish marionettes.  The bodies are hooked
            up to an elaborate system of biosensor feeds and IVs which are
            designed to replenish vital nutrients.


                                BLADE
                     What was this place?


            Vreede pauses before answering, looking uncomfortable.


                                VREEDE
                     It's a blood farming facility.
                          (elaborating)
                     They decided that hunting humans on a
                     piece-meal basis was too inefficient. 
                     Why kill your prey when you can keep them
                     alive?  Productive.  Under optimal
                     conditions a donor can generate anywhere
                     from fifty to a hundred pints of blood a
                     year.


                                ABIGAIL
                          (sickened)
                     But where did you get all these people?


                                VREEDE
                     The streets.  In any given year you've got
                     two to three million homeless people
                     wandering around America --
                          (shrugging)
                     No one cares about them.  We're doing the
                     country a service, really.


            Blade shakes his head, admiring the horrible efficiency.


                                BLADE
                     The vampire Final Solution.


            Abigail moves towards one of the pods, touching her hand to
            the glass, studyihg the comatose person within.


                                ABIGAIL
                     Are they aware?  Do they feel anything?


                                VREEDE
                          (shaking his head)
                     They're in a chemical-induced coma.
                     They're brain-dead, vegetables.


            Blade angrily SLAMS Vreede's face against one of the pods.


                                BLADE
                     Look at this!  Is this the future you
                     want?  You think there's a place for you
                     in their world?


            Vreede starts crying, blubbering.


                                VREEDE
                     We don't have a choice!  They're going to
                     win, don't you see that?!  He's come back!
                     There's nothing stopping them now!


            Blade pulls Vreede back so they're nose to nose --


                                BLADE
                     There's me.


            -- and Blade releases Vreede.


                                BLADE
                     Go.  You've got thirty seconds.


            Vreede turns and runs, stumbling towards the door.  Despite
            his promise, Blade lifts his MACH.  Without even looking in
            Vreede's direction, Blade FIRES.  We hear Vreede drop.


            Blade turns to Abigail.  She can hardly contain herself.
            Nearby is a control console.  Blade UNLOADS his MACH pistol
            into it, damaging the interlinked life support systems.


            One by one, the vital signs and EKGs on the pods flat-line,
            their warning tones rising into a collective, PIERCING WAIL.


                                BLADE (CONT'D)
                          (feeling a heavy weight)
                     Let's go.


            Blade and Abigail leave, turning the lights out as they go.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - STORAGE AREA - NIGHT


            A basketball hoop has been set up in the back area and Dex and
            Hedges are engaged in a wicked game of one-on-one.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - LABORATORY AREA - NIGHT


            Scm~erfield works, refining the virus.  Because she is blind,
            she doesn't need light.
            H er computer's voice synthesis program has been activated and
            it's currently reading the various statistics that appear on
            her main monitor.


                                COMPUTER
                     CYTOGENETICS AUDIT DATA FROM -- AUGUST
                     FIFTEENTH, TWO-THOUSAND AND FOUR.
                          (beat)
                     AMNIOTIC FLUIDS -- INPUT DELAY/ZERO.
                     ABNORMAL SAMPLES/TWO. BANDING
                     QUALITY/SEVEN-POINT-TWO --


            At the same time, Sommerfield is reading aloud to Zoe, who
            sits nearby.  The book is The Emerald City of Oz and it's in
            Braille.  Sommerfield scans with her fingers.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     'The reason most people are bad is because
                     they do not try to be good.  Now, the Nome
                     King had never tried to be good, so he was
                     very bad indeed.  Having decided to
                     conquer the Land of Oz and to destroy the
                     Emerald City and enslave all its people,
                     King Roquat the Red kept planning ways to
                     do this dreadful thing, and the more he
                     planned the more he believed he would be
                     able to accomplish it --'


                                COMPUTER
                     CYTOGENETICS AUDIT DATA FROM -- AUGUST
                     FIFTEENTH, TWO-THOUSAND AND FOUR.


            ANGLE ON A BANK OF SURVEILLANCE MONITORS


            We see Whistler approaching through the garage.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT


            The steel door slides open and Whistler enters.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - INFIRMARY AREA - NIGHT


            King drowses on a cot.  He hears a NOISE, opens his eyes.
            Whistler stands in the doorway.


                                KING
                     You get me those Fruit Roll-ups like I
                     asked --
                          (surprised)
                     Dude.  Aren't you dead?


            Whistler doesn't respond.  King tries to sit up -- but
            Whistler places his hand on King's mouth, shoving him down,
            starting to smother him.  King struggles, confused.


            INT. NGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - STORAGE AREA - NIGHT


            Dex manages to steal the ball from Hedges, makes a shot. 
            Behind them, Whistler enters the makeshift court.


    130     INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - LABORATORY AREA - NIGHT130


            Abruptly, the sounds of the one-on-one game stop.  We hear a
            THUD from the back of the warehouse -- like someone falling.


                                COMPUTER
                     BLOODS -- INPUT DELAY/ZERO. ABNORMAL
                     SAMPLES/SEVEN. BANDING QUALITY/EIGHT-
                     POINT-ONE --


            Sommerfield looks to the storage area.  The silence is
            unnerving.  She turns off her voice-synthesis program.  Then
            closes the book.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     Guys?  You okay --?


            ON THE DOORWAY


            The basketball comes bouncing out.  It rolls, coming to rest
            against a workbench.  There are BLOOD SPATTERS on the ball.


            Sommefrield reaches for her cane.  She TAP-TAPS her way to the
            baLl, feels the blood.  Knows what it is.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     Zoe, go find some place to hide, sweety.


            Zoe hesitates.  Sommerfield senses it and lashes out with her
            cane, BANGING a rack of equipment, startling the girl.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     Damnit, go!  Get out of here, Zoe!


            The girl scurries away.  Sommerfield TAP-TAPS with her cane,
            moving towards the storage area.  She finds a gun cabinet,
            feels around with her hands, locates an electronic pistol.


            INT. NGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - STORAGE AREA - NIGHT


            Sommerfield enters.  Dex and Hedges are sprawled on the floor
            before her, having been slaughtered.  Blood is everywnere. 
            She doesn't see them, of course.  But we do.


            THE CAMERA SHIFTS AROUND,


            revealing Whistler crouched right behind her!


            She's unaware of his presence.  And as we watch, his facial
            features shift.  We hear the sickening sounds of CARTILAGE
            POPPING and we realize that it's Drake, not Whistler.


            With mounting dread, Sommerfield turns towards the sound.  And
            then Drake is upon her, rushing forward with a GROWL.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - BATHROOM - NIGHT


            As Sommerfield's AGONIZED SCREAMS echo through the warehouse,
            Zoe rushes into the bathroom, looking for a place to hide. She
            considers the lockers, discounts them.  Then settles on --


            A HEATING GRATE


            near the floor.  It's about fourteen inches wide -- just
            barely big enough for her to squeeze into.


            Zoe kneels, prying the grate off.  Inside, a heating duct
            extends four feet before making a ninety-degree turn upward.
            Zoe climbs into the duct feet first, scooting her body
            backwards.  Then she reaches for the grate, securing it back
            on, sealing herself inside.


            INT. HEATING DUCT - NIGHT


            Zoe waits.  It's cramped and claustrophobic inside the duct. 
            She's managed to force herself all the way back to the ninety
            degree turn by curling up into a near fetal position.


            ZOE'S POV (THROUGH GRATE)


            Mostly tile floor and a small portion of the open doorway
            leading to the hallway outside.


            She listens, trying to hear past the sound of her own


            BREATHING which has been magnified because of the ducting.


            The screams from the outer rooms have stopped.  Then --


            ZOE'S POV (THROUGH GRATE)


            A pair of boots appear in the doorway -- Drake.


            Zoe holds her breath.  We HEAR Drake searching the bathroom,
            opening the lockers and bathroom stalls.


                                ZOE'S POV (THROUGH GRATE)
                     Drake's boot-clad feet pass by the grate
                     again, closer, tn~s time. They pause for
                     an interminable moment --


            Zoe shuts her eyes.  She can't stand it.  Finally, we hear
            Drake's FOOTSTEPS receding away.  Relieved, Zoe takes in a
            breath and opens her eyes --


            ZOE'S POV (THROUGH GRATE)


            Drake's face is right there.  pressed up against the other
            side of the grate, staring at her!


            Zoe SCREAMS.  With a ROAR, Drake rips the grate off.  He tries
            to climb inside, but the width of the duct is too narrow to
            accommodate the size of his upper body.


            Instead, he reaches his right arm in, extending his clawed
            hand as far as he possibly can.  Zoe WHIMPERS, trying to
            compress her mass into an even tighter ball --


            ON DRAKE'S HAND,


            having reached the limits of its extension -- his fingertips


            only a few scant inches from Zoe's face.


            Zoe's been allowed a moment's reprieve.  He can't reach her!


            But then we hear the sound of POPPING CARTILAGE.  Of TINY
            BONES shifting beneath Drake's flesh.  Drake's fingers are
            elongating, snake-like Reaching for Zoe's face, rapidly
            closing the space whici1 separates them --


            CUT TO:


            EXT. LUNA PARK/GARAGE - NIGHT


            The real Blade and Abigail are returning.  The sliding garage
            door opens and the Land Cruiser glides inside.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT


            Blade and Abigail enter.  The place is dark.  They know
            instinctively that somethong is wrong.


            Blade tries a nearby light.  The power is out.  They both draw
            their weapons.  Blade turns on a FLASHLIGHT.  They move onto
            the darkness --


            SHADOWS loom everywhere.  It's like a tornado touched down
            inside.  Equipment lies smashed, tables and chairs have been
            overturned.  Sommerfield's lab area has been destroyed.


                                ABIGAIL
                     King --


            Blade and Abigail rush to the infirmary area, but King is gone
            and the place has been trashed.  They move into --


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - STORAGE AREA - NIGHT


            -- the back area.  They find Dex and Hedges on the floor,
            their bodies bled, desecrated.


                                ABIGAIL
                          (realizing)
                     Zoe -- where's Zoe?


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - VARIOUS - NIGHT


            With increased urgency, Blade and Abigail search the
            headquarters -- the bathroom, the garage, every nook and
            cranny.  With each moment, Abigail becomes more panicked.


                                ABIGAIL
                     Where is she?!


            They can't find her anywhere.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - SHOWER AREA - NIGHT


            Blade and Abigail enter.  A thin stream of BLOOD snakes its
            way across the shower tiles.  Taey follow it, discovering --


            SOMMERFIELD,


            her body propped up mock-crucifixion style in the showers.  On
            the wall nearby, someone has written a message in blood:


                   "IMMORTALITY WILL COME TO SUCH AS ARE FIT FOR IT"


            ON BLADE


            He knows damn well who left him the message.


            As tears streak down Abigail's cheeks, she rushes to
            Sommmerfield's body.  Together, she and Blade get her down.


            Abigail clutches Sommerfield, slowly rocking the body in her
            arms.  Blade puts a hand on her shoulder.


                                BLADE
                     Use it.


            Abigail doesn't respond.  Her whole body is shaking.


                                BLADE (CONT'D)
                          (more firmly)
                     Use it.


            Abigail raises her head, her eyes filled with hatred.  Blade
            doesn't let up.  He's like a drill instructor, galvanizing her
            with his words.


                                BLADE (CONT'D)
                     USE IT!!!


            Abigail lifts her head toward the heavens, letting loose a
            TORTURED SCREAM that erupts from the very pit of her soul.


            CUT TO:


            EXT. PHOENIX TOWERS - NIGHT


            Abigail's SCREAM ECHOES over the moonlit cityscape.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT


            CLOSE ON King's bloody face.  A dog is licking it.  King
            stirs, his eyes fluttering open --


            KING'S POV


            The rottweiler we saw earlier is slobbering all over him.


            PULL BACK to reveal King on his knees, shirtless, both wrists
            secured behind him in a high-tech pillory.  King tries to
            twist his head away from the dog.  The rottweiler GROWLS.


                                KING
                     Back off, pooch --


            The rottweiler's jaws open, revealing more teeth than any dog
            should probably have.


            Its muzzle splits in two as both sides of the rottweiler
            mandible fold back on either side of its head, disgorging a
            hellish and barbed tongue stalk!  The mutant dog ROARS, ready
            to bite King's face off and --


                                KING
                     Jesus Christ!


            -- Grimwood appears from off-screen, LAUGHING, pulling the
            animal back.  We see Danica and Asher now as well.


                                KING
                     What the fuck?!  WHAT THE FUCK?!?


                                ASHER
                     His name's Beau.  We've been experimenting
                     with porting the vampire gene over into
                     other species.


            As Asher pets the rottweiler, its muzzle closes back up again. 
            It looks up at him, panting happily, tongue lolling.


                                KING
                     You made a goddamn vampire dog?!


                                GRIMWOOD
                     Yeah.  Cool, huh?


                                DANICA
                     Poor little King.  You look so
                     distraught.


            Danica wipes a little blood from the corner of King's mouth. 
            She touches her fingertips to her tongue, tasting his blood.


                                DANICA
                     You're tasting a little bland, lover.  Not
                     getting enough fatty acids in your diet? 
                     Have you tried mackerel?  Lake trout?


                                KING
                     How about you take a sugar-frosted fuck
                     off the end of my dick?


                                DANICA
                     Oh, there'll be time to play doctor later,
                     believe me.  But for now, we need to have
                     a little talk.
                          (beat)
                     Tell us about this bio-weapon you've been
                     building.


                                KING
                     I can tell you two things.  Diddly.  And
                     shit.  And diddly just left the building.


            Grimwood steps forward, throttling King for a moment.


                                GRINWOOD
                     Spit it out, you fucking fruitcake!


                                KING
                     Okay, here's the deal with the weapon -
                     (coughing)
                     It's a new flavor crystal formula.  Twice
                     the chocolaty-goodness, half the calories.
                     Plus, it helps prevent tooth decay --


            Grimwood moves in to choke him again, but Danica intervenes.


                                DANICA
                     You're brave, King, I'll give you that.
                     But underneath all your swagger --


            She leans closer, caressing his face.


                                DANICA
                     -- I know what you really fear.   What
                     would hurt you more than anything else.


            King's smile falters for a moment.  Maybe she does know.  She
            rubs her cheek against his.


                                DANICA
                     You don't want to go back to being one of
                     us --
                          (her lips grazing his)
                     -- do you?


            King tries to turn his head away, but Danica grips his chin,
            turning his head back.  He's sweating now.  Worried.


                                DANICA
                     I'm going to bite you again, King.  And
                     then I'm going to leave you here while you
                     turn.  I'm going to watch you, day after
                     day, while the Thirst keeps building and
                     building.  And then, when you can't stand
                     it anymore --


            She nods.  Drake appears, holding Zoe.  She's alive. 
            Terrified.  Held firm in Drake's arms.


                                DANICA
                     -- I'm going to bring the little girl
                     for you to feed on.  Would you like that,
                     King?  Would you enjoy taking her life?


            King shuts his eyes, sickened at the thought.  Danica smiles.


                                DANICA
                     Now we're getting somewhere, my pet.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS' HEADQUARTERS - SHOOTING RANGE - NIGHT


            Abigail sits in her workshop area, restringing one of her
            bows.  Nearby is a table with an assortment of equipment -- a
            bow press, vise stand, string jig, bow scales and wrench sets.


            Across the way is a shooting range with a variety of targets
            set up, a wall of netting behind them to catch stray arrows. 
            There's also a chronograph outfitted with a ballistic computer
            to measure arrow speed.


            CLOSE ON Abigail's hands as she works with a quiet precsion,
            re-setting the arrow rest, making minor adjustments to the
            center-shot position and wheel timing, etc.


            BLADE


            appears in the doorway, watching her.


                                BLADE
                     You alright?


                                ABIGAIL
                          (brusque)
                     I'll be fine.


            Blade nods.  He's going to leave her alone -- but then he
            hesitates, wrestling to say something.


                                BLADE
                     Don't let it turn inward.


            Abigail takes a deep breath, pausing in her work.


                                ABIGAIL
                     It already has.  Since I can remember
                     I've had this knife of sadness in my
                     heart.  As long as it stays there, I'm
                     strong.  I'm untouchable.  But the moment
                     I pull it out --
                          (turning back to him)
                     -- I'll die.


            Blade nods.  He understands all too well.  He leaves.


            ON ABIGAIL


            She stands, moving to the shooting range.  She straps on a
            quiver, takes aim at


            A 3-D HUMAN-SHAPED TARGET


            about a hundred feet away.  Just in front of the target is the
            chronograph, which looks like a miniature set of goal posts.


            WHOOSH!  Abigail FIRES an arrow.  It flies through the arms of
            the chronograph, sinking into the targets s chest.  On the
            screen of the ballistic computer, the arrow's speed is clocked
            at 240 feet per second.  We move CLOSER to her now as--


            WHOOSH!  Abicail FIRES again. The speed is 242 fps. CLOSER --


            WHOOSH!  Now the speed is 269 fps. EVEN CLOSER --


            WHOOSH!WHOOSH!WHOOSH!  285 fps.  302 fps.  315 fps!  The arrow
            speed creeps up and up as we move CLOSER AND CLOSER to Abigail
            until we --


            -- PULL BACK.  Abigail has fired every arrow in her quiver. 


            ON THE TARGET


            The arrows have formed a cross in the target's chest.  One
            vertical grouping running up, another horizontal grouping
            bisecting it.


            INT. NIGHTSTALKERS HEADQUARTERS - GARAGE - NIGHT


            Blade stands at the open entrance.  Abigail steps out.  Looks
            like she's made peace with herself for the moment.


                                ARIGAIL
                     I'm ready to go.


            HEADLIGHTS appear in the distance.  Another Land Cruiser
            approaches, weaving through the amusement park.  It pulls to a
            stop in front of them.  The driver's side window rolls down.


            A MAN (CAULDER)


            sits behind the wheel.  He raises a hand in greeting.


                                CAULDER
                     My name is Caulder.  And I'll be your
                     driver this evening.


            INT. CAULDER'S LAND CRUISER - NIGHT


            Caulder's Land Cruiser glides through the streets.


                                BLADE
                     Where are you taking us?


                                CAULDER
                     Another safehouse.


                                ABIGAIL
                     We told you, Blade.  We operate in sleeper
                     cells.  When one goes down, a new cell
                     activates to pick up the slack.


            EXT. DEEP-SIX AQUARIUM STOCK - NIGHT


            Caulder pulls up in front of a fish supply store.


            INT. DEEP-SIX AQUARIUM STOCK - NIGHT


            Caulder unlocks an accordion security gate, opens the door. 
            He leads Blade and Abigail through the darkened aisles.  There
            are fish tanks on either side, aerators BUBBLING, aquatic
            animals of every kind swimming about.


            IN THE BACK


            is another arsenal/lab area.  This one is smaller than the
            Nightstalkers' main headquarters.  Caulder moves to a
            computer, calls up a file.  A dialogue box for a media player
            opens.  Caulder activates a video file.


                                CAULDER
                     Sommerfield left a video message for you.


            ON THE MONITOR


            The video plays.  We see Sommerfield's face on the screen. 
            She looks grave, as if she might have been crying.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                          (on video)
                     If you're watching this, I'm already dead.
                     If Zoe's still alive, I want you to
                     promise you'll take care of her.  I've
                     been reading her The Oz books every night. 
                     We just started The Emerald City of Oz,
                     the one with the Nome King --


            Her voice cracks and she pauses, wiping away a tear.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     I think I've managed to cultivate a
                     workable strain of the Daystar virus.  As
                     a precaution, I transmitted the genetic
                     sequence to Caulder, in case our main
                     stock was destroyed.  In order for it to
                     achieve maximum lethality, you'll need to
                     interfuse it with Drake's blood.  If it
                     works, any vampires in the immediate
                     vicinity should die almost instantly. 
                     After that, it should take only a few
                     weeks for the virus to spread throughout
                     the rest of the world.


            Zoe hesitates, deciding how to broach the next subject.


                                SOMMERFIELD
                     There's one other thing, Blade.  You need
                     to know that there's a chance the virus
                     could destroy you too.  Because you're a
                     hybrid, I'm not sure whether your immune
                     system will be able tolerate it.
                          (beat)
                     I'm sorry.  We didn't have enough time to
                     properly test it.


            The video cuts to STATIC.  Abigail turns off the monitor,
            looking to Blade.  God only knows what he's thinking.


                                CAULDER
                     Take a look at the plague arrow.


            Caulder reaches for a refrigerated aluminum case, snapping it
            open.  Inside, resting on a bed of form-fitting foam, is a
            glass ampule that's been fitted into a stake-like contraption. 
            It looks like the head of a high-tech harpoon.


                                CAULDER
                     I only had time to fabricate a small batch
                     of Daystar.  I outfitted it with a
                     compressed gas projectile, so you should
                     be able to fire it from one of the
                     fourbarrel rifles or a bow.
                          (beat)
                     Just make sure the shot counts, cause we
                     don't have enough for a second try.


            A SERIES OF DISSOLVES


            Abigail sits before a laptop, creating another custom MP3
            playlist.  We watch as she hi-lights songs with her mouse,
            moves them over to her portable device with a few CLICKS.


            Abigail unhooks her MP3 device, slips her earbud headphones
            into her ears.  The SOUNDS of Fluke's track Atom Bomb fade up,
            gradually shifting from tinny source music to SOUNDTRACK.


            MORE DISSOLVES


            Blade and Abigail suit up, arming themselves.  We SEE:


            Blade loading rounds into his pistols.


            Abigail selecting arrows, checking the range-dials.


            Blade sliding silver stakes into his bandoliers.


            Abigail working with Caulder, affixing the plague capsule to
            one of her arrowheads.


            Blade polishes his sword.  Finished, he sights down the length
            of it, takes a practice swing, then secures it in his back
            scabbard with a flourish.


            EXT. DEEP-SIX AQUARIUM STOCK - BACK ALLEY - NIGHT


            We hear the RUMBLE of two motorcycles.  Blade emerges from the
            alley astride his signature Ducati ST2 crotch-rocket.  Abigail
            appears a moment later on her own customized bike.


            Blade revs his engine.  Then the two bikes take off.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - DRAKE'S QUARTERS - NIGHT


            Drake sits before Zoe, who has been shackled to the wall, his


            right arm encased in one of the armored gauntlets from his
            burial armor.  The rest of the armor has been propped up on a
            stand nearby.


                                DRAKE
                     Do you know who I am?


                                ZOE
                     You're the Nome King.


            Drake smiles at this.


                                DRAKE
                     The Nome King.  I like that.
                          (leaning closer)
                     Tell me, child.  Do you want to die?


            Zoe is terrified but tries to remain defiant.


                                ZOE
                     I'm not afraid -- I'll go to Heaven.


                                DRAKE
                     There is no Heaven.  No God.  No angels.
                     No happy ending for good little girls.
                     The only thing you have to look forward to
                     is nothingness.


            As Drake talks his pupils seem to widen -- until the darkness
            nearly occludes the whites of his eyes.  Zoe stares at him. 
            Can't tear her gaze away.  His eyes are hypnotic.


                                DRAKE
                     But what if you could change that?  What
                     if you could remain a child forever?


            He reaches out, running a sharp fingernail over her cheek.


                                DRAKE
                     What if you could keep this little doll-
                     like face of yours until the sun itself
                     cooled to a cold, hard rock?
                          (beat)
                     Wouldn't you like that?  Wouldn't you
                     accept that gift?


            Zoe reaches out, calmly touches Drake's cheek.


                                ZOE
                     My friends are coming to kill you.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT


            WHACK!  Grimwood PUNCHES King, whose body sags, weakened from
            the beatings he has undergone.  Asher and Danica look on.


                                KING
                     -- gonna be sorry you did that --


                                ASHER
                     Nobody's coming for you, King.


                                KING
                     Sure they are.  Left a trail of digital
                     bread crumbs --


                                DANICA
                     Excuse me?


                                KING
                     One thing you need to know about us
                     Nightstalkers.  When you join our club,
                     you get this nifty little tracking node
                     surgically implanted in your body --


                                GRIMWOOD
                     Bullshit.


                                KING
                     Scout's honor.  One of us gets lost, the
                     others just dial up the satellite and
                     presto, instant cavalry.


            Grimwood looks to Asher and Danica, unsure.


                                AS HER
                     He's bluffing.


                                DANICA
                          (smiling, playing along)
                     Okay, King, where did they put this
                     tracking node of yours?


            He motions for her to draw closer, whispering.


                                KING
                     It's in my left ass-cheek --


            WHACK!  Danica slaps King's face, making him see stars.


                                KING
                     Alright.  alright, it's in my right ass-
                     cheek --


            WHACK!  Danica slaps King again, this time knocking his head
            the other way.  He spits out blood --


                                KING
                     No, seriously --
                          (gasping)
                     -- it's in the meat of my butt, right
                     below my Bart Simpson tattoo --


            Danica PUNCHES King's mid-section.  He sucks air.  Despite his
            attempts at humor, he's hurting now.  His body sags --


                                KING
                     -- pull down my tighty-whities -- see for
                     yourself.


                                DANICA
                     ENOUGH!  It's not funny anymore!


            Behind Danica, Grimwood and Asher both COUGH.


            King lifts his bruised face, staring up at Danica through
            blood-shrouded eyes.  For the first time, we get a sense of
            his true hatred for her.


                                KING
                     No, it's not, you horse-humping bitch --
                          (wincing as he breathes)
                     -- but it will be a few seconds from now.


                                DANICA
                          (coughing)
                     And what happens then, lover?


                                KING
                     Hammer time.
                          (beat)
                     See, that tickle in your throat you're
                     feeling right now?


            Danica COUGHS again, blinks repeatedly, as if her eyes were
            irritated.  She rubs them, looks to the others.  They're
            feeling the effects too.  And Grimwood's face is smoking!


                                KING
                     That's atomized colloidal silver.


            Danica keys into the RUMBLE of the air-conditioning system and
            a HISSING SOUND beneath that.  She looks up --


                                KING
                     It's being pumped into the building's air
                     conditioning system.


            ANGLE ON THE HEATING REGISTER ABOVE


            We GO MACRO, shrinking down until we see a CLOUD OF TINY
            SILVER PARTICLES blowing into the room.  The particles are
            dusting the vampires, being unwittingly inhaled by them and --


            WE'RE BACK TO NORMAL


            as the vampires react en mass, suddenly gagging, their throats
            and faces on fire.


                                KING
                     Which means that the fat lady should be
                     singing right about --


            GRIMWOOD


            has caught the worst of it.  A whole lung-full.  He SHRIEKS as
            He coughs up blue-tinged FLAMES, the flesh on his face
            simultaneously burning away and --


                                KING
                     -- NOW


            THE SKYLIGHT ABOVE THEM


            SHATTERS as Blade crashes down.  He lands in a cat-like
            stance, then flips over into a cartwheel, KICKING Grimwood in
            the face.  As Grimwood goes down, Asher and Danica scatter --


            Blade tackles Grimwood, sending both of them over the railing
            into the lower level of the penthouse.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - HALLWAY - NIGHT



            ALARMS are ringing.  Asher and Danica rush down the hall,
            trying not to breathe the silver-contaminated air.  We SEE
            other vampires staggering from doorways, COUGHING, GAGGING.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - DRAKE'S QUARTERS - NIGHT


            Drake hears the ALARMS.  He reaches for his sword, which rests
            in a nearby stand.  As he heads out, he strides past Zoe,
            still chained to the wall.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT


            On the lower level, Blade and Grimwood are going at it.


            REINFORCENENTS


            flood in from multiple entry ways.  It's an all-out melee. 
            Blade is seriously overwhelmed, but the sheer number of
            vampires and humans is actually slowing them down.


            Blade takes on a half-dozen of them at once, stunning one of
            the familiars, using him as a human shield, TOSSING him aside
            to trip up another on-rushing pair.


            Then he pauses, instantly calculating the geography of the
            room, the relative positions of the other combatants,
            assessing decorations and furniture as possible weapons.  His
            battle plan ready, Blade engages his enemies once again.


            MEANWHILE, ON THE UPPER LEVEL


            Abigail appears at the lip of the smashed-in skylight.  She
            lowers herself down on a rope, rushes to King's side --


                                ABIGAIL
                     You alright?


                                KING
                     Nothing a hot tub full of Bactine won't
                     fix.


            Abigail hits the release switch on the high-tech pillory and
            the cuffs around his wrists open.  As Abigail helps King out:


                                ABIGAIL
                     Zoe --


                                KING
                     Drake's got her.


            Abigail nods, handing King her pistol.  Then she's out the
            door.  Seconds later, King follows --


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - HALLWAYS - VARIOUS - NIGHT


            Abigail pauses, slipping her earbuds in, turning on her MP3
            player.  The bumping-strains of Fluke's Absurd track kick in. 
            Abigail uncilps her UV arc, telescopes it outward and --


            -- suddenly it's like we're in a first-person shooter video
            game.  She moves through the corridors with mathematical
            precision, feeling the MUSIC in her bones, slicing through
            every vampire she encounters with deadly efficiency.


            VAMPIRES AND HUMAN FAMILIARS


            are coming out from every doorway.


            Abigail PUNCHES one in the solar plexus, DECAPITATES another,
            finishes off the first.  Then she's moving on, taking down a
            third, fourth, and fifth vampire with her rapid-fire stake
            dispenser.  Throwing stakes with blinding speed.


            After a half-dozen stakes, her dispenser is empty.  Without
            missing a beat, she presses a tab on the dispenser, ejects the
            clip, then reaches to her belt where a back-up is secured and
            slaps it in place.  The mayhem continues.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - LOWER LEVEL - NIGHT


            Blade unsheathes his sword.  He parries two combatants with
            clubs, then whirls around, DEFLECTING a GUNSHOT from a third
            with the flat of his sword.


            Grimwood is furious.  His men are tripping all over
            themselves.  He grabs an antique battle axe that's secured to
            the wall.  He sees an opening, SWINGS at Blade's head --


            -- Blade drops and the axe slices through one of Grimwood's
            own men.


            In an eye-blink, Blade is up again, advancing.  He cuts down
            another familiar, pushes forward, cuts oown a second --


            Now Blade and Grimwood are face to face.  Grimwood swings his
            axe again.  Blade hooks his sword beneath it, FLIPPING it from
            Grimwood's hands.


            Blade sweeps his sword around in a wide arc, CUTTING straight
            through Grimwood's mid-section.  The upper half of Grimwood's
            body topples away --


            -- then he rights himself.  A half-vampire.  He's still alive,
            running forward on his hands, trailing viscera.  He SPRINGS UP
            at Blade, all claws and gnashing teeth.


            Blade catches Grimwood by the throat, whirls him around --


            --  and manages to IMPALE what's left of Grimwood with his
            sword-point.  Grimwood ASHES in Blade's arms.  The only thing
            left are his steel teeth, which CLATTER to the floor at
            Blade's feet.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - DRAKE'S QUARTERS - NIGHT


            Abigail enters, SEES Zoe.  TWO VAMPIRES GUARDS stand nearby. 
            In a flash, Abigail flings TWO SILVER STAKES at them.  Both
            stakes hit their mark and the vamps crumple to ASH.


            Abigail hurries over, SHOOTS apart the lock on Zoe's shackle.
            Zoe wraps her arms around Abigail, hugging her tight.  Abigail
            takes Zoe by the hand, pulling her towards the door.


                                ABIGAIL
                     Come on, hon.  Let's get you out of here.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - HALLWAY - NIGHT


            King stumbles out into the hallway, pulling his shirt back on. 
            As he limps down the corridor, a GROWL makes him pause --


            KING'S POV


            Beau, the vampire rottweiler, lopes around the corner.  Then --


            TWO MORE ROTTWEILERS


            emerge behind Beau.  They're all GROWLING now.


                                KING
                          (under his breath)
                     Fuck.  Me.  Sideways.


            The three of them break, BARKING like crazy, snouts splitting
            open as their jaws flower apart.


            CUT T0:


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - UPPER GALLERY - NIGHT


            Blade moves into the upper gallery of a vast atrium.


            DRAKE


            stands before him, waiting, sword in hand.  He extends it,
            touching the tip to the floor.  A challenge.


                                DRAKE
                     Are you ready to die, Blade?


                                BLADE
                     Been ready since the day I was born,
                     mother-fucker.


                                DRAKE
                          (with a smile)
                     Then allow me to accommodate you.


            Drake does a back-flip over the balcony.  Forty feet down.


            Blade follows, drawing his sword as he LEAPS --


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - GROUND FLOOR - NIGHT


            -- and lands.  Now the two warriors face each other, swords
            raised, eyes locked, their stances frozen.  Like classic
            samurai.  Whoever moves first, loses.


            Beat.  MOVING IN on both men, CIRCLING around them.  Slow the
            heart.  Slow the breath.  Find the opening.


            DRAKE


            breaks first, bringing his sword over in less time than it
            takes to blink an eye.  No one could possibly deflect the
            blow.  And yet --


            BLADE


            manages a COUNTER-STROKE with super-human grace.  He advances,
            parries, his sword CLANGING and SINGING like a blacksmith's
            hammer on sheet metal.


            Cut, thrust, block, diagonal downward slashes.  The moves come
            faster.  Drake DUCKS, barely avoiding being decapitated. 
            Blade's sword cuts right through a column instead.


            Drake retaliates.  Blade locks swords with him.  For a moment,
            the two warriors are nose to nose.  Then Blade twists his
            sword free, cutting open Drake's cheek --


            Drake GROWLS, back-flipping up onto a ledge.  He touches his
            fingertips to the cut, tastes his own blood.  Then we hear the
            telltale sounds of CARTILAGE POPPING.  For a brief moment, his
            facial features shift, giving us yet another glimpse of his
            true form.  As his anger increases, Drake begins to devolve.


            He DIVES at Blade, HOWLING, raking his CLAWS at Blade's face. 
            He strikes out, KNOCKING Blade across the atrium.  He SPRINGS
            forward, dragging Blade up by his throat, sinking his fangs
            into Blade's shoulder.  Blide SCREAMS and we --


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - HALLWAY - NIGHT


            -- as King runs.  He hazards a look back.  The vampire dogs
            are quickly gaining on him.


            UP AHEAD


            It's a dead-end.  Just plate glass windows and a whole lot of
            nothing beyond.


            The dogs are almost on King when suddenly, King JUMPS,
            snagging an overhead pipe.  As he swings his body upward --


            THE DOGS


            skid on the floor, unable to stop their momentum, and CRASH
            straight through the plate glass window.


            EXT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT


            An EXPLOSION OF GLASS as two of the vampire rottweilers tumble
            into the night.  They fall like stones -- twenty stories down
            into the traffic-clogged intersection below.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - HALLWAY - NIGHT


            King drops back to the floor, cackling, pleased with himself. 
            It takes him a second to realize that --


            ONE OF THE ROTTWEILERS (BEAU)


            -- didn't take a swan dive out the window.  He's right behind
            King.  And now he's SPRINGING FORWARD --


            WHAM!  King is hit in the chest by the SNARLING beast.  He
            drops the pistol as he's knocked back onto the floor.  The dog
            LUNGES again --


            With one arm, King struggles to keep his face from being bit
            off, while searching blindly for the discarded pistol.  King
            locates it, FIRING into the beast's chest --


            THE ROTTWEILER


            ASHES, disintegrating all over King's face.  King gets a
            mouthful of the charcoal remains, tries to SPIT them out.


                                KING
                          (making a face)
                     Bad dog.


                                                                  CUT TO:


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - UPPER GALLERY - NIGHT


            Abigail emerges onto the gallery with Zoe.  She spots an
            alcove, indicates that Zoe should hide.  Then she slips a
            silver stake into Zoe's hand.  Just in case.


            Abigail rushes to the handrail, looking down at Blade and
            Drake.  Her view is obscured.  She can't get a good shot.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - GROUND FLOOR - NIGHT


            Drake digs his fangs into Blade's shoulder.  Blade struggles,
            manages to slip a stake from his bandolier --


            WHAM!  Blade SLAMS the stake into Drake's ear canal.  The
            beast SHRIEKS in pain, dropping Blade.  But all the gambit has
            done is drive Drake into a berserker rage.


            Drake swings his fist.  Blade ducks.  Drake's fist goes
            through the wall, PUNCTURING a steam pipe.  Steam vents --


            Drake reaches in, RIPS an eight-foot section of the pipe from
            the wall, bringing a SPARKING nest of electrical cables along
            with it.  He swings the pipe section around, WHACKING Blade.


            KRUNCH!  Drake swings the makeshift club again.  He's a one
            man demolition crew, decimating everything in his path.  He's
            SMASHING holes in the floor, the walls, plowing through
            partitions of glass and steel.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - UPPER GALLERY - NIGHT


            Abigail moves down the gallery, looks up --


            A SERIES OF LIGHTING GANTRIES


            span the length of the atrium ceiling.


            Abigail balances on the handrail, then jumps out into space --


            -- catching hold of one of the crosspieces.  Like an acrobat,
            she monkey-swings her way beneath the gantry.  If she loses
            her grip, she'll fall more than fifty feet.


            BA-BANG!  A bullet strikes just in front of Abigail, showering
            her with SPARKS.  MORE BULLETS follow.


            ANGLE ON PAIR OF VAMPIRES


            FIRING from below, trying to pick her off.  Suddenly, UV
            BULLETS strike each of the vampires.  As they ASH we --


            WHIP-PAN BACK TO KING,


            having dragged his battered body out onto the upper gallery. 
            He's playing guardian angel to Abigail, laying down cover fire
            so she can continue.  But then --


                                DANICA
                     KING!!!


            DANICA


            appears behind King.  She TACKLES him, wrestling him to the
            floor, pummeling his face with her fist.


            King tries to ward of f the blows, but he's sorely outmatched.
            He swings his electronic pistol up --


            Danica twists it from his grip, ejecting the clip from the
            stock.  King's sun dog bullets spill out all over the floor. 
            She tosses the gun aside, reaches for King again --


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - LIGHTING GANTRY - NIGHT


            Back to Abigail.  She's breathing heavily, trying to call up
            new reserves of strength.  She glances down --


            Big mistake.


            She forces herself to look back up.  She swings herself
            pendulum-style, manages to snag yet another crosspiece.  A
            SHOT RINGS OUT --


            ANGLE ON ASHER,


            down below, armed with a rifle.  He FIRES again --


            -- grazing Abigail's shoulder with the bullet.  Abigail CRIES
            OUT, nearly losing her grip.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - UPPER GALLERY - NIGHT


            King rolls on his side, spits out a bloody tooth.


                                KING
                     No offense, Danica --
                          (gasping in pain)
                     -- but I've wanted to kill you since the
                     moment we slept together.


                                DANICA
                     I was that bad, huh?


            King reaches a palsied hand for his discarded pistol, points
            it vaguely in Danica's direction.  She LAUGHS.


                                DANICA
                     No bullets in your gun, King.


                                KING
                     Yeah, but here's the beauty --
                          (wiping his bloody mouth)
                     -- these babies can be triggered remotely.


            King pulls the trigger.  The scattered sun dog bullets ERUPT
            with UV LIGHT.  Danica SHRIEKS, trying to shield her already
            burning face from the glare.  She runs, horribly wounded.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - GROUND FLOOR - NIGHT


            Drake pummels Blade, flinging his body about like a ragdoll. 
            He grabs Blade by his ankle, swings him upwards some thirty
            feet --


            SMASH!  Blade collides with the underside of a massive hanging
            glass chandelier/lighting fixture.


            Blade FALLS back to the ground, stunned, dropping his sword. 
            Drake pounces on him.  Blade can barely fend off Drake's blows
            anymore.  In desperation he digs his fingers into Drake's
            eyes.


            Drake swings both fists downward, Hulk-style, SHATTERING an
            entire section of the limestone flooring.


            A SHOCK-WAVE ripples out from the point of impact, sending
            waves of two-foot stone tiles flipping up into the air,
            knocking Blade off his feet.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - UPPER GALLERY - NIGHT


            King loads a sun dog into his pistol, steadies his aim on the
            railing, and FIRES at Asher --


            THE SUN DOG


            screams across the atrium, striking dead-center in Asher's
            open mouth.  The bullet EXPLODES.  UV LIGHT causes Asher's
            skull to burn up from the inside out.  His headless corpse
            falls forward over the gallery railing.  Then it too
            carbonizes and BURNS UP.


            Relieved, King sinks to his knees.


            BEHIND KING,


            we SEE Zoe slip from the alcove.  She makes for the stairs.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - LIGHTING GANTRY - NIGHT


            King has bought Abigail more time.  She swings her body
            forward, hooking her legs over the next crosspiece.  Then she
            lets go with her hands.  Now she is hanging upside down,
            secured only by the tension in her calves.


            Abigail reaches behind her, removes her bow.  BLOOD from her
            wounded shoulder drips down over her collar bone, reaching her
            cheek, briefly obscuring her vision.  She wipes it away.  Then
            she reaches back once more and --


            -- because her quiver is pointed downward, a number of arrows
            slide out. Abigail panics, twisting her body --


            -- managing to lust barely snag the ~la~ue arrow as it tumbles
            Past her!


            Beat.  Abigail shuts her eyes, trying to find her center. 
            With her eyes closed, she nocks the arrow and draws the bow
            back.  Then she opens her eyes.


            She's only going to get one shot -- and she's going to have to
            take it while hanging upside down.


168 a       ABIGAIL'S POV                                      168 a  


            On Drake and Blade below, locked in combat.  She tracks their
            progress, waits for Drake to move into a better position --


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - GROUND FLOOR - NIGHT


            Drake shoulders a support column, SNAPPING it in two.  An
            entire section of the gallery walkway above comes CRASHING
            DOWN, burying Blade in debris --


            -- but it's not enough for Drake.  He LEAPS forward, fishing
            Blade out, hauling him up --


            Drake head-butts Blade -- once, twice.  Blade's eyes roll to
            whites.  Drake looks down, SEES Blade's discarded sword. 
            Drake scoops it up, STRIKES at Blade --


            Blade manages to roll to the side, avoiding the blow.


            Drake STRIKES again, dealing Blade a glancing blow --


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - LIGHTING GANTRY - NIGHT


            ON ABIGAIL.  Waiting.  More blood has trickled down her neck,
            into her eyes.  But she can't wipe them anymore.  She's
            already got her bow drawn.  She's committed to the shot.


            We can hear ABIGAIL'S HEARTBEAT as she settles.  She takes a
            final breath, holds it -- and lets the plague arrow fly.


            ON THE PLAGUE ARROW


            as it streaks downward, hurtling towards Drake at more than
            300 feet per second.  Then, at the last possible instant	--


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - GROUND FLOOR - NIGHT


            CHINGG!  Drake deflects the arrow with his sword.  It
            harmlessly falls to the floor, rolling a few yards away.


            ON ABIGAIL,


            stunned, her expression melting into despair.


            BACK TO DRAKE


            swinging Blade's sword around.  PLUNGING it into Blade's side.
            As he pulls it back out again --


            BLADE


            GASPS, sinking downward.  He's on his knees now, in shock.


            Drake ROARS again shifting, conjuring up seventy centuries of
            violence and predation.  And the nightmare shape that was only
            hinted at before, finally takes center-stage.


            BLOOD suffuses Drake's flesh, turning his skin crimson.  His
            canines elongate, his lower jaw distends. 
            Jagged bone spurs erupt all over his body -- like he's growing
            a suit of razor-sharp thorns.  He doesn't need a sword
            anymore.  He's become a living weapon.  Drake is gone.  Now he
            is --


            THE BEAST


            Drake swings the sword overhead.  He's going to decapitate
            Blade.  And just as the sword reaches the top of its arc --


            ZOE


            emerges from the shadows behind Drake, clutching a silver
            stake.  She SHOVES it into Drake's back,  pushing with all the
            strength her little body can muster.


            Drake staggers.  The blow wasn't lethal, but it hurt all the
            same.  He turns on Zoe, enraged, his attention distracted for
            one crucial second --


            ON BLADE,


            summoning the last of his reserves.  He pitches his body
            forward, managing to snag the end of the plague arrow.  And
            before Drake even realizes what is happening --


            WHAM!  Blade sinks the plague arrow deep into Drake's chest. 
            Drake drops the sword, turning back to face Blade --


            Exhausted beyond measure, Blade sags.


            INSIDE DRAKE'S CHEST - MACRO SHOT


            as the arrowhead dispense the bio-weapon.  We SEE the virus
            flooding Drake's internal organs, causing them to blacken as
            his circulatory system carries it throughout his body.


            ON DRAKE'S FACE,


            letting loose an INHUMAN SCREAM, vomiting up a spray of blood
            mist.  His monstrous features begin to melt, reshaping into
            his more familiar face.  At the same time we --


            GO MACR0 ONCE MORE


            Shrinking until we are amidst the spray of blood Drake
            expelled.  We continue shrinking until we are moving with the
            individual molecules of Drake's breath as the plague virions
            latch onto them, causing them to blacken and become necrotic. 
            Moving with the twirling molecules until they are inhaled by --


            DANICA,


            having retreated from her defeat by King.  She clutches her
            throat.  We can see the virus infiltrating her system as tiny
            BLACK THREADS expand across her face.  She sways, falling onto
            the floor.  She reaches a beseeching hand towards King --


            -- then dies, a final still-born curse on her lips.


            MORE VAMPIRES


            are feeling the effects now too.  One by one they drop,
            choking, going into convulsions.  As they writhe on the floor,
            we watch the Daystar virus ravaging their bodies.


            BACK TO BLADE AND DRAKE


            Drake slumps against the wall.  Hero and villain are now
            separated by only a few feet.  Both at death's door.


                                DRAKE
                     Well done, hunter.  Well done.


            Blade stares back.  At this point, he's just trying to remain
            conscious.  He's lost a ton of blood.


                                DRAKE 
                     You fought with honor --


            Drake shudders, his breathing becoming increasingly shallow.


                                DRAKE
                     -- as I knew you would.  The humans are
                     coming for you, you know.  In their eyes,
                     you and I are the same.
                     Allow me one last indulgence, then --
                          (gasping)
                     -- a parting gift --


            Drake grows still, his eyes locked on Blade's.


            ABIGAIL AND KING


            rush to Blade's side.  Zoe joins them.  Blade is dying, fading
            fast.  Abigail shakes Blade --


                                ABIGAIL
                     Blade!


            Her voice sounds distant and muted, overridden by Blade's own
            HEARTBEAT which is fading up, dominating the soundtrack.


                                ABIGAIL
                     BLADE!!!


            Blade's eyes can't focus anymore.  They're clouding over.


                                BLADE'S POV
                     We drop away from Abigail and King -- like
                     we're falling down


            a dark tunnel.	 Then the world FADES TO WHITE.


            EXT. CITYSCAPE	- DAWN


            FADE IN FROM WHITE.  We see the sky, the burning orb of the
            rising sun.  A trio of FBI helicopters ride out from the dawn,
            swooping down over the stirring city.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     It didn't take long for the authorities
                     to arrive.


            INT. LEAD HELICOPTER - DAWN


            Cumberland sits in the front passenger seat, Hale behind him.


            EXT. PHOENIX TOWERS - PLAZA - DAWN


            As the helicopters touch down in the plaza we see a small
            convoy of POLICE and FBI VEHICLES converging around them.


            Cumberland and Hale are among the first out.  They rush
            towards the Phoenix Towers entrance, guns drawn, DOZENS OF
            AGENTS and OFFICERS behind them.


            INT. PHOENIX TOWERS - ATRIUM - DAWN


            The first rays of sun penetrate through the atrium windows
            setting the scattered vampire corpses ablaze.  Danica, Asher,
            and the others all ignite.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     When they got there, all of Drake's
                     people were dead.


            By the time Cumberland and his men have entered, fanning out
            through the atrium, all they find are a series of corpse
            shaped piles of ash and singe marks.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     In the weeks that followed, the rest of
                     the world's vampires also perished.
                          (beat)
                     We'd finally won.


            ON CUMBERLAND,


            surveying the scene, frustrated by what he's found.  Then we
            hear SHOUTS coming from the back of the atrium.


            AT THE BACK OF THE ATRIUM


            they find Blade.  He's dead, slumped against a wall.  There's
            no sign of Drake.  The vampire king is gone.


            INT. FBI MORGUE - DAY


            CLOSE ON Blade's face, his body being wheeled on an autopsy
            gurney.  PULL BACK to reveal that we are in an FBI morgue.
            Cumberland and Hale stand nearby, overseeing everything as --


            A TRIO OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS


            lift Blade's body onto an autopsy table.  They turn on a bank
            of overhead UV lights.  The lead examiner reaches for a
            scalpel.  But as he touches the scalpel to Blade's chest --


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     And Blade?  Cumberland and Hale finally
                     got their body --


            BLADE'S FACE


            changes.  We hear a series of POPS and CRACKS as subdermal
            cartilage begins to loosen and shift.  At the same time, the
            skin begins to lighten as melanin is gradually leached away.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.) (CONT'D)
                     -- but it wasn't the one they were banking
                     on.


            ON CUMBERLAND AND THE OTHERS


            as they react with varying degrees of shock.


            BACK TO THE BODY


            We realize that it's not Blade lying before them.  It's Drake.
            Somehow, even in death, the vampire king managed to take
            Blade's shape and temporarily retain it.


                                ABIGAIL (V.O.)
                     The virus didn't kill Blade.  But the
                     authorities very well could have.  So in
                     the end, realizing that own his people
                     were doomed, Drake decided to give Blade a
                     gift.


            (beat)


                                ABIGAIL (CONT ÔD)
                     By taking Blade's shape, he bought Blade
                     enough time to escape.  Offering Blade a
                     second chance at life - -


                                                              DISSOLVE TO:


            EXT. SEASIDE CLIFF - DAY


            A bright summer day.  Blade stands at the edge of a cliff,
            looking out over a sun-struck ocean.  For the first time since
            we've seen him, he's not wearing armor or sunglasses or
            handguns or rifles.  And were it not for the sword he holds,
            we might even mistake him for an ordinary man.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     And so Blade took it.


            Blade flings his sword over the cliff, into the ocean below. 


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     We never saw him again.


            UNDERWATER


            We see the sword sinking, reflecting the refracted sunlight
            from above as it twirls end over end.


            BACK TO BLADE


            At peace with himself at last.  After a moment's reflection,
            he turns and walks away.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     He disappeared completely.
                          (beat)
                     But that's what heroes do.  They simply
                     fade out.  And in this way --


            A SERIES OF DISSOLVES


            as Blade moves further and further away from us, dwindling
            into the horizon until he disappears entirely.


                                ABIGAIL (V.0.)
                     -- they become legends.


                                                            FADE TO BLACK.


            Over darkness we hear the sound of TRAFFIC.


            EXT. THE SLAUGHTERED LAMB - NIGHT


            FADE IN.  We are moving towards a local punk dive wedged into
            a crowded block in the meat packing district.


            A DOORMAN (LUCIUS) stands outside, checking CUSTOMERS' IDs.We
            hear HILLBILLY THRASH MUSIC coming from within.


            ANGLE ON KING AND ABIGAIL


            approaching.  King holds his four-barreled rifle.  Abigail
            peels away, disappearing into an alley as King nears the front
            door.  The doorman recognizes King, knows he's trouble.


                                KING
                     Evening Lucius.


                                LUCIUS
                     King, what the hell are you doing here?


                                KING
                     Just a little sport hunting.


            INT. CLUB CROWBAR - NIGHT


            A BAND belts out a cover of Sam and the Shams' Little Red
            Riding Hood.  The band members look a little lupine.  As King
            weaves his way through the crowd, Lucius hurries alongside.


                                LUCIUS
                     Ain't no vampires left, King.  So who do
                     you have to hunt?


                                KING
                     That's an interesting question, my friend. 
                     And I've got a question for you in return.


            INT. CLUB CROWBAR - BACK AREA - NIGHT


            As King pushes his way through to the bathrooms, we hear an
            UNEARTHLY ROAR coming from the men's room.


                                KING
                     What do you get when you cross a vampire
                     with a werewolf?


            The door to the men's room EXPLODES OPEN.  Abigail comes
            flying out.  She hits the far wall of the hallway, slides to
            th floor.  But she's up in an instant, pulling a knife on --


                                KING
                          (raising his four-barrel)
                     A fur coat that sticks to your neck.


            A HILL-BILLY HIPSTER WERE-CREATURE,


            wearing a blood-soaked Stray Cats-style suit.  The ephedrine
            nightmare creature looks at King, opening his elongated snout
            to flash a set of razor-sharp canid teeth.


                                KING
                     Don't you know fur is murder?


            As King FIRES point-blank into the were-creature we --


                                                             CUT TO BLACK.


            CUE MUSIC.


            END CREDITS ROLL