BrokenHallelujah1

Disclaimer: All characters, except for Johnny York, are property of BTVS. Johnny York is my own creation. I have fictionalized much of the worship of Cybele and Attis; no offense is meant to those who actually profess that religion.

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PROLOGUE

[Fade in. Int. Riley�s office in the Initiative. It�s early morning, and the troops outside the door are already engaged in their pre-breakfast calisthenics. Riley sits going over diagrams of Adam. Forrest knocks.]

Riley: Enter. [Forrest does.] Good morning, soldier.

Forrest: Riley.

Riley: Anything to report.

Forrest: Missing student. Didn�t return to his dorm last night.

Riley: Details.

Forrest: Parker Abrams. 21. Junior. Left his dorm at approximately 2100 to [checks his report] �fetch some brews.� Never returned. His car is still in the southwest residents� lot. Car keys located three feet from the vehicle.

Riley (still businesslike): Leads? Theories?

Forrest: Some blood on the scene.

Riley: Human?

Forrest: Yes. Not Abrams�. According to school records Abrams was A negative, type on the scene was O negative.

Riley: Anything else?

Forrest: Our team�s still combing the area.

Riley: HST?

Forrest: Possibly. The human blood could be from another victim.

Riley: Put D team on it. Preliminary recon. Until we�re certain we�ve an HST, let the locals handle the grunt work. Adam�s still our first priority.

Forrest (suddenly casual): Are you going to tell Buffy? After all, she and Abrams were�acquainted.

Riley: You do not have permission to speak freely, soldier.

Forrest (chagrined): Fine.

Riley: I�m sure Buffy is on top, er, aware of the situation.

[Bells and whistles start going off. Riley and Forrest rush into the control room, which is a-buzz with activity. Riley goes up to the monitors and questions Graham, who is in charge at the moment.]

Riley: What is it?

Graham: Security breach in the emergency stairs.

Riley: Forrest, take your team.

[Forrest grabs a headset and runs off.]

Riley: What is it?

Graham: We can�t get visual. It must know where the cameras are.

Riley: Could it be technical?

Graham: The system�s one hundred percent. And we have a heat reading from the stairwell.

Riley: What is it?

Graham: 98.6 Fahrenheit.

[Riley grabs a headset and puts it on.]

Riley: Forrest, it�s human. We need visual.

Forrest (coming through on loud speaker): There�s nothing here.

Graham: It�s between levels three and four now.

Riley (repeating into headset): We have heat-reading between levels three and four.

Graham: It�s moving lower.

Forrest: Negative. We can�t see it.

Riley: It�s invisible. Try infrared. (to Graham) Where is it now?

Graham: Level seven.

Riley: Level seven.

Graham: Level eight. It�s left the stairwell.

Riley: It�s going for HST containment. Forrest, hang on. I�m bringing my team.

[Cut to the containment corridor. Forrest�s team are wandering, searching for something they cannot see, even with the goggles. Riley�s team runs in. The demons in their cells start jumping wildly and howling.]

Forrest: Damn. What now?

Riley: I don�t know. I don�t think I want to know.

[One of the glass cell doors far down the hallway slides open. All the soldiers turn and look. Ethan saunters out. The soldiers rush forward to grab him but are mysteriously slammed against walls, thrown down the corridor, or otherwise maneuvered out of the way. As Ethan continues to walk right out of the initiative, the world begins to shake. The howling increases. The soldiers panic. Even Ethan looks a bit disoriented. Nevertheless, he continues his egress.]

[Credits roll. Buffy�s theme plays.]

PART ONE
[Cut to Giles house. Buffy enters. She looks worried. Giles is in the kitchen making coffee.]

Giles: I know what you�re thinking, but not every earthquake means the end of the world as we know it.

Buffy: Since when?

Giles: Alright, but there�s been a world-wide increase in seismic activity over the last few months; this quake might just be a part of that phenomenon.

Buffy: Or that phenomenon, as you put it, could be a harbinger of the apocalypse.

Giles: I prefer to view things as half-full.

[Giles emerges from the kitchen revealing the fact that he hasn�t yet gotten dressed for the day.]

Buffy: Nice jammies.

Giles: Yes, well, I thought it best to begin work immediately.

[There�s a knock at the door. Buffy goes to answer it as Giles disappears into his room. It�s Riley, now dressed in civvies.]

Buffy (pleasantly surprised): Hey, what are you doing here?

Riley: I went to your dorm. Willow said you�d be here.

Buffy: What can I do for you?

Riley: Remember Ethan Rayne?

Buffy: I only wish that I could forget.

Riley: Something came in and helped him escape this morning.

Giles (emerging from the other room wearing a robe): What was that? You let Ethan Rayne escape?

Riley (curt): He had help.

Buffy: Who�or what?

Riley: Don�t know. Some invisible force. Whatever it was, it took down two teams.

Giles: How long ago?

Riley: It happened right during the quake. We need to get him back. With Maggie�s death and Adam�s escape, I already have oversight breathing down my neck. Will you help me?

Giles (concerned): Tell us about this force, as you call it.

Riley: It was giving off human heat readings, but we couldn�t see anything, even with infrared specs.

Giles: Obviously, a mystical spell of some sort.

Riley: That was my first thought, but this thing couldn�t have been human. It took down forty men in less than two minutes. It tossed Forrest thirty yards down the corridor. Even with a spell, I can�t imagine that kind of strength in a human. Also, it used electricity to subdue my men. Some of them are still having trouble with their bowels.

[Cut to Angel�s mansion. The building is in horrible state of disrepair. But this condition would probably be ignored by the casual observer, who would concentrate on Parker, who has been stripped naked and tied and staked to the floor in front of the fireplace. Ethan paces the room, stepping over Parker when appropriate.]

Ethan: Would you please show yourself? Talking to nothing is more than a little disconcerting.

Johnny (invisible): You don�t want to see what I look like.

Ethan: Be that as it may, could you please just appear while I�m talking to you.

[Johnny, seated on the couch, slowly emerges from his invisibility. He is dressed in a torn and bloody tee-shirt and cargo pants. His shoulder-length hair hangs in bloody clumps. Patches of scalp are visible where the hair has been ripped out at the roots. Lacerations and bruises cover his arms and face.]

Ethan: Dear lord, zap yourself away again. Please. Before I become ill.

[Johnny returns to a state of invisibility.]

Ethan: What happened to you?

Johnny: She�s after me.

Ethan: The slayer did that to you?

Johnny: No, it was me.

Ethan: You?

Johnny: I�ve been having these spells. In my head. I�m losing my mind.

Ethan: Judging from the way you look, it�s long gone. How long has this been going on?

Johnny: Since July. I think. I don�t remember. Or maybe it was October.

Ethan (sarcastically): As long as you�re sure on the details. Why didn�t you come for me sooner? I�ve been rotting in that cell for weeks.

Johnny: I didn�t know. I went to the Mojave desert. I thought I�d get away from populated areas. Wherever I go, there seems to be earthquakes. [pause] I need your help, Ethan. I don�t know what�s happening to me. I don�t know if I can even do the rites.

Ethan: You have to. There�s no question there. I see you�ve got a good start, though. Who�s this bloke?

[He kicks Parker in the ribs. Parker grunts under his gag.]

Johnny: The sacrifice.

Ethan: You couldn�t find a dog this year?

Johnny: I thought this would be more fun. You know, get me in the mood.

Ethan: Yes, well, we don�t have a lot of time. I can start on the feast. Can you get the girls?

Johnny: I�m not up for an orgy.

Ethan: There are pills you can take for that now. Come on. Make yourself visible. Pretty yourself up. And for Pete�s sake take a shower.

Johnny (to Parker as he kicks him): Don�t be afraid. You�re about to have a religious experience.

[He and Ethan go about their business.]

[Cut to Giles� house. Giles, still in his pajamas, scours through piles of file folders all labeled with the mark of Eyghon and Ethan�s name. Riley and Buffy are working together on their own pile. Riley looks distinctly uncomfortable. Buffy starts rubbing his shoulders, but he shrugs her off.]

Buffy: What is it?

Riley: Nothing. This is getting us nowhere. All we should be concerned about is his whereabouts. We don�t have time to waste. Adam�s out there, and I didn�t tell you, but there�s a missing student this morning. Disappeared last night, blood on the scene.

Buffy: One crisis at a time. I�m not Superman.

Riley: No, just the slayer.

Buffy (moving on): We could check out the costume shop. Ethan might be there.

Riley: If you knew where he might be, why are we bothering with this stuff.

Buffy: But we always research first.

Riley: Why?

Buffy (thoughtful): I don�t know. It�s just what we always do.

[Giles yawns and puts down a folder. He looks at the clock. 12:45. Next to the clock is Giles� desk calendar. He glances at it then goes back reading. Suddenly, he looks up just the tiniest bit. The metaphorical light bulb is ready to go off. He reaches an epiphany. He looks again at the calendar.]

Giles: No. Not again.

[The date is March 20.]

Buffy: What is it?

Giles: March 20.

Riley: Monday. So what?

Giles: It�s Johnny.

Riley: Who�s Johnny?

Xander (entering with Anya): Debarge concert?

Buffy: I wish.

Giles: Johnny�s back.

Xander: Johnny�s back in town?

Giles: It seems that way. Considering the date Riley�s report that an unknown invisible force facilitated Ethan�s escape, I think it�s safe to say we�re dealing with Johnny.

Xander: Ethan escaped? (to Riley) How did that happen?

Riley (ignoring him): So I say again, who�s Johnny?

Xander: Oh he�s Gile�

Buffy: He�s ah, ah, kind of like a god. That�s literally, not figuratively.

Riley: Hence the invisible.

Xander: Riley�s smart.

Buffy (proudly): He got a 2370 on his GRE generals.

Riley: And a 650 on the psych subject exam.

Giles: Uh, back to Johnny. Obviously, he�s here because he needs your help, Buffy, to complete the rites of spring.

Buffy (filling Riley in): He needs me to beat him up.

Anya: In a sexy way?

Giles (Ignoring Anya): I think you should comply. It would be the safest course for everyone.

Xander: And if there�s another small town he�d like to turn into Salem central? I mean, he�s not exactly harmless. I actually had to go to prison because of him. Evil prison.

[Anya whacks him on the arm.]

Xander: What?

Anya: We spent some beautiful moments in that prison. Don�t tell me it meant nothing to you.

Xander: Of course, you were the best part, but you don�t want to go back to prison, do you?

[Anya is appeased.]

Riley: Just to sum up, Ethan was broken out by Johnny, a kind of god, who can become invisible and who put Xander and, uh�

Anya: Anya.

Riley: Anya in prison.

Buffy: And Willow and Oz.

Giles (oddly beaming with paternal pride): And every other demon in Sunnydale. He did the initiative�s job far more efficiently than you could even imagine.

Buffy (chiding): Giles.

Riley: So why Ethan?

Buffy: Ethan�s sort of his mentor.

Giles: Johnny, in order to retain his powers, must perform a series of intricate rituals. I�m assuming he needs Ethan�s help to proceed.

Riley: What sort of rituals?

Giles: As near as we figured out the last time, an orgy, a feast, and a castration on the first day. On the second day, he needs to be flagellated by a powerful female.

Riley: There are a lot of assumptions behind you�re hypothesis. Also, I�m taking a lot on faith here. Nevertheless, my first priority is to recapture Ethan Rayne before he�s missed, and I�ve drawn a zed and two naughts on leads.

Giles: I believe you�re best opportunity should come tonight. After Johnny performs the first round of rituals, his powers are dormant until�

Buffy: Until I beat him up.

Riley: Then, why beat him up?

Giles: Last year�Johnny must go through the rituals every spring�we were concerned about Ethan�s retaliation, which could be quite severe. Should you be able to capture Ethan, that would cease to be a concern.

Buffy: But he did help us this summer, so I owe him I guess.

Xander: We only needed his help because of the trouble HE caused. I don�t think we should be too grateful here.

Giles: And there�s Adam.

Riley (very interested): What about Adam?

Buffy (picking up Giles� train of thought): Of course, we�ve been so worried about Adam�s strength, but Johnny could probably get rid of Adam no problem.

Xander: I think you�re getting ahead of yourself. Why would Johnny want to help us get rid of Adam?

Buffy: Johnny�s not evil.

Xander: He�s not Reliable Guy either.

Giles: Still, it wouldn�t hurt us to at least put the proposition to Johnny. We offer to aid him with the rites in exchange for help with Adam.

Xander: And what�s to say he won�t vamose after the rites are over.

Giles: That is always a possibility. I think we should think give the situation further thought.

Riley: Where do I find this Johnny? You said something about a costume shop?

Buffy: Ethan used to own a costume shop downtown, but if he�s with Johnny, they might have gone somewhere else.

Xander: Angel�s mansion?

Buffy: Or the apartment.

Xander (getting a brainstorm): Ooh. Or your mom�s.

Buffy: Eww.

[Cut to Angel�s mansion. Parker looks more terrified than ever. Johnny, who is now visible, is on the sofa. He is relatively clean, but he�s still covered with bruises, abrasions, lacerations, and other assorted ow-ies. Ethan enters with five skanky hookers carrying a Christmas tree.]

Ethan: C�mon. Chop-chop. We�re on a tight schedule.

Johnny: I have a headache.

Ethan: What has the world come to nowadays? In my day, when you brought a teenage boy five prostitutes, he was grateful goddamnit.

Johnny: Really, Ethan, I can�t go through with it.

Ethan: You can and you will. Now, go to your room.

[Johnny gets up and starts to leave.]

Ethan (exasperated): Take the girls.

[Johnny leaves with the girls.]

[Cut to Johnny�s room.]

Johnny: Look, you�re all lovely really, but I�m not myself today.

[A hooker in fuschia hot pants begins to take off his shirt.]

Fuschia hot pants: Who do you want to be?

[A hooker in a red vinyl miniskirt begins to undo his pants.]

Red miniskirt: Your father already paid us, so we�ll do whatever you want.

Johnny: He�s not my father.

Hooker in faux fur jacket: It really doesn�t matter.

Johnny: Did Ethan explain what has to happen here?

[The girls nod.]

Johnny: Good.

[He points to a petite, blond hooker.]

Johnny: Okay, do you know who Miriam Hopkins was?

[She shakes her head.]

Johnny: That�s okay. Let me tell you what to do.

[The hookers go to work. The world starts to go fuzzy. Johnny and the girls are on the bed beginning the orgy. The room turns black and white and slowly dissolves into an art deco nightclub. Buffy, wearing a silver lame dress that could have been designed by Adrian, sits at a table absentmindedly drinking champagne. The dance floor is full. A sultry chanteuse sings �Parlez Moi D�amour.� Johnny, now injury-free and nattily decked out in a white dinner jacket, glides over to the table like Herbert Marshall. His wavy blond hair, now short, forms a halo around his head. All the following dialogue is as cheesy and artificial as if it had been lifted from a third rate Paramount romantic comedy from the thirties.]

Johnny: Miss Summers, you look smashing tonight.

Buffy: Mr. York, I didn�t expect to see you here tonight. Won�t you take a seat?

[Johnny sits down.]

Johnny: You knew I wouldn�t miss the opportunity of seeing you.

Buffy: Why, Mr. York, I had no idea you knew I existed.

Johnny: I�ve been watching you for months. I must say that I�m impressed.

Buffy: But Mr. York�

Johnny (enunciating): Please, call me Jonathan.

Buffy (blushing): Jonathan, I have a boyfriend.

Johnny: He is not worthy of you. He lacks wit and charm. He merely has the Ralph Bellamy role.

Buffy: But he�ll be back any minute. He just went to make a phone call.

Johnny: Don�t worry. I�ve taken care of him.

[Cut to the compound of a warlord in Outer Mongolia. Riley, stripped to his BVDs, is strung out from the ceiling. Myrna Loy, wearing a kimono and her Asian enchantress make-up, strikes him repeatedly with a cat o� nine tails.]

[Cut back to the nightclub. Johnny kisses Buffy�s hand.]

Johnny: May I have this dance?

Buffy: I�m sorry. I don�t waltz.

Johnny: This song is almost over. The next one won�t also be a waltz.

Buffy: I can�t.

Johnny: Is it your long lost love, who mysteriously disappeared in the Amazon?

Buffy: I shall never get over Angel.

[Johnny grins evilly.]

[Cut to the Brazilian rainforest. A group of scantily clad natives throw Angel in to a giant pot of boiling water. He screams. The screams die out.]

[Cut back to the nightclub. Johnny still grins.]

Johnny: But, Miss Summers, you�re a young woman, and he may never return. Is there nothing I can do to ease your lonely heart?

Buffy (relenting): Maybe just one dance, and, please, call me Buffy.

Johnny: Buffy, there�s a magnificence in you. It streams from your eyes and your fingers and your hair. Oh, Buffy, I love you.

[The scene returns to color and dissolves back to Johnny�s room in Angel�s mansion. Johnny is all alone in bed. The prostitutes are almost finish dressing. They begin to file out of the room one by one. The little, blond hooker leaves last. Fade out.]

Part 2 of "A Cold and Broken Hallelujah"
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