PART I – Act 1
We begin with a MONTAGE of all the sites of Rome: ancient ruins, ancient streets, the Vatican, and some of the more modern quarters of the city. As we take in the classic architecture and bustling crowds, a male voice narrates, in an Italian accent and sensual tones,
V.O.
Rome: millennia ago it was the centre of the greatest empire the world had ever seen. It was the guiding light of civilization, and yet underneath it seethed with intrigue and corruption. Over the ages it has seen both glory and torment, and through it all, it has remained: a city of life, of love, of excitement and of passion. It is truly the Eternal City…
A familiar voice interrupts, under her breath,
BUFFY (V.O.)
You can say that again.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOTEL BALCONY – ROME – DAY
BUFFY is standing there, arms crossed, looking out over the city with a somewhat vacant expression. A tall, dark, handsome, Italian man – the IMMORTAL – is standing besides her. He exudes confidence and pride, although right now he has turned to Buffy with mild annoyance.
IMMORTAL
Pardon me?
Although she would deny it, Buffy’s tone remains somewhat distant throughout the scene.
BUFFY
Nothing. Just agreeing with you, about Rome and the eternalness of its… eternity.
IMMORTAL
Are you all right Buffy?
BUFFY
‘Course! Why wouldn’t I be? We’ve got eternal funness here!
IMMORTAL
You’ve just seemed… tired lately.
She considers the Immortal’s point for the briefest moment before replying,
BUFFY
Maybe it’s eight years of fighting evil finally catching up to me. But really, I’m okay. I’m going dancing every night. Going shopping during the day. Occasionally to a museum, but being careful not to learn too much. I’ve got a boyfriend I can go out in the daylight with – so relative normalcy there – and I haven’t so much as seen a demon in months. All in all, it’s a good life.
IMMORTAL
You’re quite sure?
She makes a valiant effort to be perky.
BUFFY
‘Course I am. I have everything I’ve ever wanted.
She looks up at her lover with a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.
DAWN (V.O.)
(With her mouth full)
Something’s missing
CUT TO:
INT. GILES’ OFFICE – LONDON – DAY
DAWN and ANDREW are in a smallish office with cream-painted walls and nice wood furniture, including a bookcase with some large, ancient-looking volumes on it. Otherwise though, it’s rather spare.
Dawn is seated behind the desk in a dark red, leather chair. Her hair is in a sleek ponytail and her make-up is somewhat more sophisticated than when we last saw her. She’s embraced her Watcher-in-training-ness by sporting the youthfully conservative look of a skirt and sweater-set. She’s holding a half-eaten cookie in her hand and her expression is quickly changing into one of disgust.
DAWN
(continued)
Like sugar!
Andrew is perched on the desk besides her. He’s stuck with the wannabe-a-Watcher look we last saw on him in “Damage”. A plate piled high with cookies is placed between them. He is disappointed by Dawn’s reaction.
ANDREW
I was out, so I substituted it for molasses
DAWN
It tastes like ass. Like moles’ asses.
She tosses the cookie aside, laughing at her own pun.
ANDREW
(insulted)
Well… have you ever tasted a mole’s ass?
DAWN
Not until today.
Enter GILES. As the head of the all-new Watcher’s Council, his style of dress is something of a combination of his Magic-Box-owner/businessman look and his old, tweedy self. He hangs up his jacket by the door and picks up a pile of mail from his desk.
ANDREW
Then I think I’d like to get a second opinion.
Turns to Giles, holding up the plate of cookies.
ANDREW
(continuing)
Giles! My good man… have a cookie.
Giles gives Andrew a perfunctory glance as he sorts through the mail on his desk.
GILES
Uh, no thanks.
The constant snubs are starting to injure Andrew’s culinary pride.
ANDREW
C’mon. I made them myself. Get off you health-kick already. One won’t kill you.
Dawn scoffs ands starts twirling around in Giles’s chair.
Giles discards the last of his mail, having received nothing of interest.
GILES
I’d rather not. You enjoy them.
ANDREW
Fine then. I will.
He takes his time selecting a cookie.
GILES
(to Dawn)
Have you finished your homework?
DAWN
(enthusiastically)
Yep!
She stops twirling, picks up a file folder from the desk and hands it to Giles.
He flips through the folder as Dawn talks.
DAWN
(continuing)
Profiles on the first twenty demons of Hume’s Paranormal Encyclopedia. And I made copies in Latin and Sumerian. Also, those illustrations are hand-drawn.
Andrew has finally chosen a cookie and takes a bite. His face progresses through various degrees of “yuck” and he makes some disgusted sounds, but Giles and Dawn ignore him.
GILES
(impressed)
Very good! And your other homework?
Dawn groans.
DAWN
Not yet. “Maths” is insane. Literally. It’s devised to drive me zonkers. The teachers have got this bet going to see who can make the American idiot child crack first.
GILES
Bring it here. I’ll see if I can help you.
DAWN
(gratefully)
Thank you!
She gets out of the chair and heads for the door
GILES
Anything to avoid dealing with this month’s budget.
DAWN
I’ll be right back!
Exit Dawn. She scurries out the door and Giles sits down in his chair. He opens Dawn’s folder and begins going over her work.
ANDREW
These cookies really do suck!
He tosses his half-eaten cookie into the waste-paper basket, and looks down mournfully at the plate of them.
ANDREW
(continuing)
That is so sad. I made, like, a hundred of them.
GILES
Why on earth did you make so many?
ANDREW
I was going to give them to the Slayers. To be more precise, to the ones who show up regularly for training, y’know, the ones who take The Calling seriously, who realize it’s not just some part-time thing –
GILES
Andrew, that’s exactly what this is now. It’s voluntary.
ANDREW
(grudgingly)
Well, maybe I don’t think it should be.
GILES
So, your plan was to coerce large numbers of preternaturally strong teenage girls into forsaking their normal lives to fight the forces of darkness… with the promise of baked goods?
ANDREW
It was worth a shot. This attendance issue should not be taken lightly. You should do something about it.
Giles doesn’t bother to look up from Dawn’s work when he replies.
GILES
Do what, exactly?
ANDREW
I dunno. Something take-charge and leader-y.
GILES
I am not a leader. I’m an administrator.
Dawn comes back, carrying her backpack. Giles puts aside Dawn’s demon homework as she pulls out her math books and puts them on the desk in front of him.
ANDREW
You led Buffy though.
Dawn lets out an involuntary laugh. She looks a bit sheepish about it as she pulls up a wooden chair to sit besides Giles.
He isn’t offended, however.
GILES
I think Dawn has answered that quite accurately.
(to Dawn)
What is it you’re studying now, then?
DAWN
Chapter six. Cartesian planes.
ANDREW
Well, how did you get Buffy to accept her destiny?
Giles is beginning to lose his patience with Andrew.
GILES
Persistent nagging.
(to Dawn)
Um, is there a pencil around?
Dawn opens the top desk drawer, pulls out a pencil and hands it to him.
GILES
Ah, right.
ANDREW
And it worked. You helped to mould her into a Slayer devoted to the cause: self-sacrificing, tireless and true. Except for now, of course, that she’s living it up in Rome with the Immortal…
Andrew trails off, his eyes glazing over and a dreamy smile creeping across his face.
The mention of the Immortal has quite the opposite effect on Giles, although he tries to repress his reaction.
GILES
Buffy is taking a much-deserved holiday. She’ll be back working with us again soon.
Part of Giles knows he’s living in denial-land, though.
Andrew, meanwhile, is coming out of dreamland.
ANDREW
Yeah… Y’know, sometimes I miss the old days back in Sunnydale…
(hastily, off their looks)
I mean, the part after I started my path to redemption.
Giles and Dawn turn back to maths.
ANDREW
(continuing)
Back when we used to all work together…
Andrew’s ramblings hit a nerve with both Giles and Dawn.
GILES
(dryly)
I don’t recall us doing that very often
ANDREW
(continuing)
It was like we were a family –
DAWN
Yeah, a family that didn’t include you.
It’s a sign of Andrew’s character development and relative maturity that he accepts that. More or less.
ANDREW
True. But I was almost a part of it.
(off her look)
Or, almost-almost.
Dawn’s still not buying his revisionist history
ANDREW
(continuing)
I was adjacent to it. And, I kinda miss that.
Dawn and Giles miss it too. Giles, however, pretends not to be interested in the conversation and Dawn masks her depression with annoyance.
DAWN
We’re still a family. Just, farther apart. But we haven’t changed.
CUT TO:
ANGLE on the famous photo of Buffy, Willow and Xander together, as it is picked up off the floor of a car
EXT. JUNGLE – DEM. REP. OF CONGO – NIGHT
A teenage girl is leaning into a jeep through the passenger-side door. She is frozen in place. One arm is reached into the back, and is clasping a large pack. Her other hand is holding the photo, which apparently fell out of the open glove compartment. She is looking at it intently.
The girl herself is about 17. She wears no makeup, her kinky hair is tied back in a simple ponytail, and she is dressed sensibly in an army-green tank top and cargo pants. She is naturally pretty, and despite her sensible style she exudes tenderness. This is TAIFA.
XANDER (O.S.)
Are you getting the kit, Taifa?
Taifa straightens up and pulls the pack out of the jeep, which is parked just within a grove of trees, but she still hangs on to the photo and continues to examine it.
TAIFA
Yeah.
Enter XANDER. Life in Africa has wrought a physical change in him, and all for the good. He's lost weight, now cutting a lean, yet toned figure. His tanned skin is set off by his light khaki shirt and slacks. His longish hair (not as long as it was in S5) falls romantically across his forehead. The long scar that runs down the right side of his face from his temple to the hollow of his cheek does not detract from his looks. Rather, along with his eye patch, it adds to his appearance of dark mystery. Around his waist Xander wears a holster for a large knife, and strapped to his back is a sheathed machete. The latter was not a weapon he learned to use the easy way; with his shirtsleeves rolled up, you can see scars criss-crossing his forearms. Since it is evening, he has some stubble. This is Dark!Xander, and he is quite dashing.
As he approaches Taifa, he realizes what she's looking at. With only the flicker of a change in his stoic expression he calmly yet firmly removes the photo from Taifa's grip and puts it back in the glove-compartment. He takes the pack from Taifa.
XANDER
Let's get to the meeting then.
He turns and walks back into the forest.
Taifa is a bit taken aback by Xander's actions, but not offended. She walks besides him through the trees.
TAIFA
You never showed me that picture.
XANDER
I don't like it.
TAIFA
You look so different in it.
XANDER
You noticed that?
The have reached a large clearing. They walk across a broad, open area first, where training exercises are conducted. Adjacent to it, and under a wide canopy hung with mosquito netting, are a good thirty to forty sleeping bags, neatly laid out. About ten feet away is a tent and an electric generator: Xander's quarters. At the far end of the clearing is a gently burning campfire; many girls are already seated around it, though there are a few still milling about.
TAIFA
I mean, you look young. Like us.
XANDER
I was a lot younger than you guys when I was your age.
TAIFA
(thoughtfully)
You're funny, Alex.
CUT TO:
Another teen girl enters the clearing. At least technically, she's a teenager. Her gait suggests not so much a girl, however, as a combination between a man and a lion. Her face is round, but has a hard look to it. Her gaze is unfathomable. She is dressed much the same as Taifa (all the girls are, with minor personal touches). Her hair is cropped short. Like Xander she wears a machete and a holster. She also carries a crossbow, and her bloody knife is drawn. Blood is spattered on her arms and her clothes bear bloodstains both new and old. This is not an individual who shrinks from close-quarters killing. Her name is INIKO.
Xander catches sight of her.
XANDER
(to Taifa)
Get the girls organized. I'll be right there.
TAIFA
Sure.
Taifa goes on ahead and Xander goes to meet Iniko before she can reach the canopy. His manner is stern, but not angry.
XANDER
Iniko: out patrolling alone when it's almost time for the meeting.
INIKO
Yes. Sorry.
XANDER
No you aren't. Look, I want you to tell me when you go out. Can't back you up if I don't know where you are.
INIKO
I know. I just had a feeling that I had to go.
XANDER
Uh huh. So, who'd you meet?
CUT TO:
Xander's Slayers sitting and chatting around the campfire. Taifa is sitting by a girl, about 12 years old, wearing a brightly patterned jumper, and looking rather stunned. Her name is ESSIEN. Taifa has an arm around her and is rocking her back and forth slowly. She speaks to her in gentle tones.
TAIFA
How are you doing?
Not too well, by the looks of things. It is a few moments before she replies. She looks up at Taifa, and speaks in a frightened whisper.
ESSIEN
Can I ask you something?
CUT TO:
Xander joining the circle, sitting down besides Taifa. Essien shrinks away from him a bit when he does. Iniko, meanwhile, crosses to the other side of the circle. As soon as Xander enters the glow of the campfire, the girls cease their chatting and listen attentively. Xander speaks with authority.
XANDER
Okay. First business: tonight, we have Essien joining us. Some of you have met her already. She's from Goma. Her family was killed by the rebels. She's twelve and a half years old, younger than any of you were when you were first called. So you all look out for her.
(to Essien)
Anything else you want to tell us about yourself?
Essien shakes her head.
XANDER
Then let's do introductions.
Each girl in turn shares her name with Essien. Most also give their native country and city/village. They come from all across the continent. Some share other personal information as well, such as if they were orphaned as Essien was. A few were; many others are AIDS orphans. Two or three proudly state that their parents gave them willingly to the cause. One of them is the one white South African girl. She is slim and has long, straight, strawberry-blonde hair. Her name is AMBER. Iniko doesn’t reaveal anything about herself other than her name. Taifa is the last slayer in the circle.
TAIFA
Taifa. Sohag, Egypt. I was Alex’s first Slayer. Been with him since the beginning.
She looks up at him and they share a smile.
XANDER
In just my first week in Africa I would’ve died a dozen times over if not for her.
(pointedly)
But I began fighting evil eight years ago, in America.
Taifa is a bit hurt by Xander’s tone. Her expression communicates that it’s out of character for him to speak so.
XANDER
(continuing)
Anyways, Alexander Harris. Sunnydale, California –
One of the girls pipes up,
O.S.
But you can call him "sir".
A wave of giggles travels around the circle. Xander cringes good-naturedly. Still possessed of a self-deprecating sense of humour, he’s not a totally different person than he used to be after all.
XANDER
Please don't. You can call me anything but "sir".
O.S.
How about Cyclops?
O.S.
Or Winky?
There is increased laughter. Amber is the only one who appears to disapprove.
XANDER
Perfectly respectable names. Anyways, back on topic, I am the Watcher, a position I accepted, ironically enough, only after I lost my eye.
There is more laughter.
XANDER
(continuing)
Any questions? You got everything I told you before about demons and magicks and all that?
Essian doesn't respond.
XANDER
(continuing)
It's a lot to take on faith, I know. It's okay if you don't believe all of it. Or any of it.
There are some scattered giggles, but no reply from Essien. Xander takes her silence as his cue to move on.
XANDER
Okay then –
TAIFA
Alex, there is something. Essien's family were not all killed. Her sister was taken by the rebels.
Xander's demeanor immediately becomes very serious and grave.
XANDER
Do know where she is?
TAIFA
She's being kept with other girls at the compound just outside the village.
XANDER
I see…
He ponders in silence for some moments, then comes to a decision.
XANDER
(continuing)
Okay. We’ll come back to that. Let’s finish this first. Now it’s time, Essien, for the presentation of your official Slayer Kit.
He places the pack from the beginning of this segment in front of Essien and empties out some of its contents in front of her.
XANDER
(continuing)
The kit’s got everything you need: your sleeping bag, water canister, tin mug, flint, compass. You’ve got stakes and crucifixes, a switchblade, a, um, serious knife, a machete, and – for emergencies only – a gun and bullets. You are not to use the weapons or join in any combat until you have been trained. Training is twice daily. Once you’re trained, you’ll start patrolling with the others at night, in groups of at least three. Other responsibilities, like meals and maintaining the camp are shared on a rotating basis. Meetings are held every night to discuss issues and plans. If there is an emergency, come straight to me or Taifa. I think that’s it. Welcome to the family.
There is some light applause from the entire circle.
XANDER
(continuing)
Moving on, before we get to the problem of Essien’s sister, to prove that my rules exist only in my head and that there’s no consequences whatsoever to breaking them, Iniko went patrolling by herself tonight and has come back alive. She’s got something to report.
INIKO
I found soldiers sneaking around near by. It looked like they were tracking us. They were too close to the camp anyways. I took care of them, but more will likely come tomorrow.
XANDER
So then, I propose that, first thing tomorrow morning we pack up –
INIKO
What? We could kill them all easily.
Although Xander doesn’t appreciate being interrupted, he allows the resulting debate to continue without interfering until he is called upon.
TAIFA
But there is no reason to. We would gain nothing from it.
INIKO
But they would lose. That’s the point.
AMBER
“The point” is to kill demons.
INIKO
The point is to kill evil.
AMBER
(to Xander)
Sir –
She addresses Xander thus without any irony. She is incapable of addressing him as anything but “sir”. Although Amber doesn’t always respect him per se, she respects his authority.
XANDER
Iniko is right: we kill evil.
Amber is silenced, but by no means placated.
XANDER
(continuing)
But we do it strategically. There’s no point to staying here. Especially not if we’re going to breakout Essien’s sister. Plan is to pack up, get the girl, and get out of here before they can follow us. Any questions?
AMBER
Will killing people be involved in this plan?
XANDER
Hopefully not. I don’t want to give them any more reasons to come after us.
Essien surprises everybody by talking
ESSIEN
So, can my sister stay with us?
XANDER
(kindly)
Of course –
AMBER
(indignantly)
But she’s not a Slayer!
XANDER
No, but she’s family.
Amber opens her mouth to object some more, but Xander shuts her down.
XANDER
(continued)
This is not debatable.
AMBER
No, sir.
Xander glances around the circle.
XANDER
Anyone else want to weigh in?
He looks around the circle; there are no takers.
XANDER
(continuing)
Then we’ll vote on it. Everyone in favour of the plan?
Everyone except for Iniko and Amber raise their hands.
XANDER
(continued)
That looks like a clear majority. Okay, let’s talk battle tactics…
CUT TO:
Later that night, XANDER is packing equipment into the jeep.
INIKO approaches him from behind.
XANDER
(without even glancing over his shoulder)
What do you want, Iniko?
INIKO
How did you know it was me?
XANDER
I have acutely developed hearing. What is it?
INIKO
After we get out tomorrow, why are we going to Cameroon?
XANDER
We covered this at the meeting. We voted on it. Case closed.
INIKO
But you did not give us any other options to choose from. Even if we did have a good reason for running from here, there are other places we can go to fight, instead of going to Cameroon for a mere research project.
Xander turns to face Iniko. Her posture, her tone, the entire essence of her being is threatening. Doesn’t faze Xander though.
XANDER
It’s important research. The Council is trying to rebuild a database of info that it took centuries to get in the first place.
INIKO
We have a war going on here! Why should we care about some old man’s library in England?
XANDER
The Watcher’s Council is where we get our resources. We owe Giles, he’s where our money comes from, remember?
INIKO
Because he’s obliged to send it.
XANDER
The Watcher’s Council isn’t obliged to do anything, except pay my personal salary. They are struggling to be a self-sustaining organization, but Giles still sends us money when we need it without asking how it’s being spent. So if he wants us to go talk to some shaman in Cameroon then that’s what we’re going to do.
INIKO
In other words, your loyalties are with England, not Africa.
XANDER
My loyalties are with my friends and family. That means everyone on the Watcher’s Council, and everyone here in the camp. Happily, they mesh. Giles wants us to go to Cameroon and we need to go there. The girls need a rest, we’ve got about ten new Slayers that need training, our supplies are almost gone, and we have guerilla fighters tracking us. Going to Cameroon isn’t about loyalties, it’s about being smart.
Iniko sees Xander’s point.
XANDER
(continuing)
Go to sleep now. I want you on the advance team tomorrow. If anyone’s in our way, you get rid of them.
INIKO
You know I will.
There’s a faint hint of a smile on her face as she turns to leave.
Xander runs his hand through his hair and turns back to the jeep. He stands there for a moment, thinking about something. He reaches towards the glove compartment, but then abruptly changes his mind and continues loading up the equipment.
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP of WILLOW. Her eyes are closed and her face is serene. Her speech is slow and rhythmic.
WILLOW
Shut down your senses, shut out the superficial experience…
As Willow speaks, we cut to close-ups of various other girls, all in their teens. Most are East Asian, some are South Asian. Their faces display various levels of serenity. Some look sceptical. Others are struggling not to giggle.
WILLOW
(continuing)
Don’t feel the texture of the floor. Don’t hear the sound of my words. Feel the energy of the earth. Sense my meaning. Turn your focus inward. Connect to the power within the core of your being. Focus on that…
CUT TO:
INT. WILLOW’S MONASTARY – TIBET – DAY
A LONG SHOT from above reveals the girls – about ten of them – to be in a large room, of traditional Tibetan style. They are seated, legs crossed, in neat rows. Willow is seated in front of them, on a small platform. The girls are wearing contemporary clothing, but Willow is dressed in simple robes. All the light in the room comes from a large window, through which we can see the Himalayan Mountains.
WILLOW
(continuing)
Now direct that energy outward. Connect it with the energy circulating around you; to the girl next to you, to the insects under the earth, to the trees and the air. Balance your inner and outer focus. You are connected to everything, integrated into the fabric of the universe.
A girl carrying a book passes by the door. We leave Willow’s meditation session and follow the girl, CHO-AHN, down the hall. We start to hear the sound of girls practicing martial arts. Cho-Ahn comes to a doorway at the end of the hall and looks inside.
KENNEDY is leading about ten girls in martial arts. She lowers her leg after a kick and picks up a towel and water bottle from the floor.
KENNEDY
Okay! Good work! That’s enough for today!
The girls start chatting amongst themselves.
Kennedy sees Cho-Ahn at the door and goes to her.
KENNEDY
Hey, Cho-Ahn.
CHO-AHN
Hi.
The two Slayers leave the room together, and walk back up the hallway.
KENNEDY
Is Willow still meditating?
CHO-AHN
Last time I checked.
KENNEDY
Great! Let’s go break her concentration
Kennedy breaks into an eager trot, but Cho-Ahn stays behind.
CHO-AHN
Is that a good idea?
Kennedy slows down and turns around.
KENNEDY
She’ll appreciate the test of her self-discipline.
CHO-AHN
You’re sure?
KENNEDY
No, but she’s cute when she’s mad.
CHO-AHN
Except when she’s black-eyed and scary.
Kennedy is unperturbed by Cho-Ahn’s apprehension regarding Willow and answers lightly.
KENNEDY
She hasn’t done that since Sunnydale. She’s all about the White Magicks now.
They reach the door to Willow’s room. Cho-Ahn hangs back.
CHO-AHN
I’d rather not risk it.
KENNEDY
Chicken.
Kennedy bounds into the room, a broad smile on her face.
KENNEDY
Hey guys!
Some of the Slayers look up from their meditation. The others faint dead away.
Kennedy stops in her tracks, stunned.
Willow has gone totally stiff. Then she collapses off her platform.
Kennedy rushes to her side.
KENNEDY
Omigod! Willow!
The other girls are panicking. Someone runs out of the room to get help.
Kennedy cradles Willow’s head in her lap.
KENNEDY
Willow, can you hear me?
Eyes still closed, Willow’s face is contorted with pain and grief.
KENNEDY
It’s going to be okay, baby.
She brushes Willow’s long hair from her face.
Willow jerks away when she’s touched.
Shocked, Kennedy lets go of Willow, who thrashes on the ground and starts to scream.
BLACKOUT
FADE TO:
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