Prologue
In the beginning there was darkness and there was light. Two worlds existing independently , sustaining existence and without form. And then in the union of the God of Light and the Goddess of Darkness came The Grey, and in his coming The Grey ended these separate worlds to create one anew. Our world was born and battle for its survival began at once.
The children of light seek to restore their world and the legions of darkness strive to sustain the union, the form, the shadows. The warriors of light are Gods of men, to oppose them the blood of darkness was spread throughout the globe. While the old Gods grow tired new warriors are born in each new generation. They are the Shadow Seeds and once they were many.
Once, but no more…
Part One
A man runs across the rooftops of the city. The city is New York and it is night and it is raining. The man is dressed in black wearing a type of body armor though some of it has been damaged. A look closer at the man a you can see he is scared and hurt. His head is bleeding down the left side and on his right ear he has a communication device similar to a blue tooth but a little cruder.
MAN (through communicator): Phillip they're dead! They're all dead!
MAN: Phillip can you hear me? It wasn't- there were so many. They were armed I don't know-
The man's chest explodes in a burst of light and he is slammed backwards into a wall a few feet away from the force of the blast. He sits slumped against the wall. His chest armor is all but gone and his chest burned and bloody and broken.
EARPIECE: John! John I'm here, your signal is breaking up. John..?
The feet of a small man stands over the man you now know as John. The small man is wearing a white/cream suit with white shoes. As John looks up you see his eyes for the first time, they shine in the darkness as a cats eyes do. Through John's eyes we se the darkness illuminated though his vision is blurred. He sees the small man in his white suit beside a larger man in body armor that is black, white and gold. The large man has a glow about him. John cannot see their faces through his blurred vision
SMALL MAN: Their great warrior…
The large man raises a stylized golden gun to John's head.
SMALL MAN: No. This warrior dies slow.
John's eyes roll downward and they loose some of their shine. He is losing consciousness and as he does his eyes fade into complete black.
***
An old man stands while his door open and facing you. His apartment is inside. He's a tough looking old guy with thick arms and his hair is cropped short. He stands at about 5'10" and has a slight paunch at his waste. The look on his face is one of skepticism.
OLD MAN: Sure, I know him… who's asking?
Outside the old mans door stand two men in suits. The suits are cheap and, on the larger of the two men, ill fitting. The larger man has his hair slicked back and greasy and is wearing dark glasses despite being indoors. He has a small tattoo between his thumb and forefinger which looks like a target. The smaller of the two is taller than the old man and looks a little sharper than the tall man. The smaller man holds out his wallet to the old man. It holds a federal badge and his ID reads FBI. Down the hall from the men is the door to another apartment - 23C.
SMALLER MAN: Agent Stack, FBI, sir.
OLD MAN: Yeah? He in any trouble?
LARGER MAN: Only if he wants to be.
The smaller man looks over his shoulder at the larger man who takes this as a sign and steps back from the door leaning against the wall. The smaller man turns back to the old man.
AGENT STACK: No, sir. But he could be very helpful to us.
The door to 23C opens and a man dressed in smart yet casual black clothing stands in the doorway. He is lean, fit and handsome and he wears dark glasses. He is not happy but is calm in his irritation.
MAN IN BLACK: It's okay Mr. Hanna, I'm here.
The three men look down the hall to the man in black. The old man looks uneasy, the large one uneasy and the smaller man smiles a thin smile.
AGENT STACK: Thanks for your help Mr. Hanna.
The old man watches the two in the suits walk into the man in black's apartment. His unease not settling.
MAN IN BLACK: It's okay Mr. Hanna. Really.
The old man raises an uneasy smile
MR. HANNA: Sure, kid. Sure.
The door to 23C closes.
***
Back in his apartment the old man is still uneasy. He looks to his mantle where he's placed the badge he carried with him for 20 years. It's in a lucite box now but it still reads the same: Detective 1st Grade.
Hanna picks up the phone.
HANNA: Jerry? Jerry hi, it's Vinnie… Yeah.
HANNA: Jerry do me a favour huh? … Yeah yeah, look I'll buy you a jar or two…
HANNA: I need you to run down a name for me on the fed database… an agent.
***
Inside 23C Stack, his partner and the man in black stand facing one another. The larger man is in front of the door. There is not much to the place, just the essentials – a few bits of furniture, a cooker, a TV and a desk by a window. Through the window it is dusk. The man in blacks looks at the man calling himself Agent Stack.
MAN IN BLACK: Agent Stack?
STACK: You gotta have a sense of humour about these things, no?
The large man turns to Stack with a puzzled expression.
LARGE MAN: I don't get it.
STACK: The Untouchables? Eliot Ness? Come-on!
The large man looks more confused.
LARGE MAN: That was Kevin Costner.
STACK: The movie? Forget that piece of shit! I'm talkin' the classic here. The TV show.
LARGE MAN: Didn't know there was a TV show.
LARGE MAN (to the man in black): You know what he's talkin' about?
The man in black has a look on his face of boredom and irritation.
MAN IN BLACK: What do you want?
Stack looks at the larger man with a mixture of pity and annoyance.
STACK: Billy… why don't you hang back while I talk to Mr Millar. Phone the man and tell him where we're at.
Stack turns to the man in black who we now know as Millar. Stack is all business now, as is Millar.
STACK: The man wants to see you.
MILLAR: Why?
STACK: The man didn't say. Just says to get you and bring you back.
MILLAR: What if I don't want to go?
Stack smiles that same thin smile he had in the hallway.
STACK: The man says to bring you anyway.
***
A man in an expensive suit sits at his desk in an expensive Manhattan high-rise apartment. He leans back in his leather chair and faces his full wall window with his back to the desk. The man is in his mid-fifties and in excellent physical condition. His hair is a close crop and he has two thin scars which cross cutting into the front of his hair line. He has the hint of a smile on his face as he talks into a top of the range Bluetooth headset. Outside the window it is dark and wild with rain.
SMART MAN: Mr Hunter? This is Solomon, I've just got word, he should be here by tomorrow night.
SOLOMAN: We can arrange the details of the meet when he arrives.
Closer on Solomon as his smile spreads.
SOLOMAN: Oh and Hunter. Be sure to have my money waiting.
***
The inside door of 23C. The three man inside face it.
SFX: KNOCK KNOCK
HANNA(though the door): Mr Millar open the door please.
Millar turns to the two would be FBI agents.
MILLAR: Wait here. I'll just be a minute with him.
When Millar opens the door HANNA burst though shoving him to the side and pointing a gun.
HANNA: Mr Millar these men are not who they say they are. The police are on their way.
Stack and Billy look at one another and then Stack turns to Hanna wearing his thin smile.
STACK: Look… sir, I assure you-
HANNA: Bullshit! I checked you out 'Stack'. The feds don't know who you are. And your big friend there looks like he'd have a tough time applying for a security guard nevermind the FBI.
Close on Stack, he looks curious and a little worried.
STACK: Who the hell are you Old Man?
Hanna shouting. Nervous.
HANNA (shouting): Shut the fuck up! Get your fuckin' hands in the fuckin' air!
Millar raises his hands in a calming motion.
MILLAR: Calm down Mr Hanna. It's okay, these men are here to-
Hanna snaps his head to the side to face Millar.
HANNA: No, son it not fuckin' okay! Two guys are knockin on doors with federal badges and ID. If you kno-
HANNA is cut off as two bullets slam into his chest and shoulder.
SFX: BAM BAM
Billy stands with his gun raised and smoking as Hanna goes down.
Millar leaps forward at Billy slamming his fist into the big mans throat.
Stack his gun out and is raising it
As Billy falls Millar turns and falls with him, taking Billy's gun in his hand as he does.
SFX: BAM BAM
Two shots hit Stack in the chest and on the side of his neck.
Millar stands and fires two shots into Billy who is gasping for air. They kill him instantly. His sunglasses are cracked from the fall with Billy.
Stack is spluttering and holding his neck on the floor. He is losing blood fast.
Millar steps over and puts a bullet in his head.
Millar stands amidst the carnage of the last few seconds.
SFX: Sirens.
Millar removes his cracked glasses. You cannot see his face.
Millar walks towards his door. His back facing you.
His legs move past the body of Mr Hanna.
SFX Sirens. Closer.
HANNA (weak): Y-your eyes… w-what are you..?
Millar looks down at Hanna and we see his eyes. The glow bright in the shadow just as John's from earlier did. He looks grim and foreboding.
MILLAR: Mr Hanna…
Millar crouches closer to the dying old man.
SFX: Sirens closer still.
MILLAR: Mr Hanna, the police are coming but your wounds are too severe.
Millar's face is dispassionate.
MILLAR: Please understand sir, I know you were trying to help but, the police, they can't know about me.
HANNA (weak): I don't… what are you…
Millar places his hand over the old mans mouth and nose and the old mans eyes go wide with shock. Miller looks away but still appears unmoved.
MILLAR: They can't know.
***
The silhouette of a muscular man looks out a window onto the same wild night as Solomon. The room he is in dimly lit and is furnished with tables chairs and couches with a classic look to them. On a small table beside of the chairs a book lies face down and folded open.
In a door way on the opposite side of the room an elderly man enters. He is smartly dressed in a tie and waistcoat and carries an elegant cane. He is tall and slim with a hint wiry muscle. His face is weary in the dim light.
ELEGANT MAN: Can't sleep?
The muscular man does not turn away from the window but lowers his head, looking away from the night.
MUSCULAR MAN: I tried to read but…
MUSCULAR MAN: Any word?
The elegant man turns his head towards the room yet looking at nothing in particular.
ELEGANT MAN: They've fond him. He should be in the city by tomorrow.
The muscular man looks over his shoulder towards the doorway and the elegant man but his face is still in shadow.
MUSCULAR MAN: I don't trust that man Phillip.
The elegant man, Phillip, looks back to the muscular man.
PHILLIP: What choice do we have? Without him we are lost.
PHILLIP: We are all of us lost.
Phillip looks pleadingly at the muscular man.
PHILLIP: John… you see that don't you?
John turns to us and he is revealed as the man from the rooftops. He is older and his face is battle worn. In the dim shadow of the room his eyes glow green.
JOHN: I do. I just hope The Seed sees it too.
***
Darkness.
SFX: Phone vibrating.
VOICE (sluggish): Wha-
Solomon lies alone in a large and luxurious bed. On each side of the bed is staylish and expensive bedside table on which sit expensive and stylish bedside lamps. Solomon reaches for the right hand side lamp turning it on. Beside this lamp sits a cellular phone, top of the line like all of Solomon's possessions. The phone is lit up indicating an incoming call.
SFX: Phone vibrating.
SOLOMON: The hell?
Solomon, still sluggish with sleep and angry as hell answers the phone.
SOLOMON: This better be good, I swear to-
SOLOMON: Millar? Is that-
Solomon sits bolt up right and can't believe what he's hearing.
SOLOMON: They… You what?
Closer on Solomon as the panic sets his brain into gear.
SOLOMON: Wait I didn't want-
Solomon looks at his phone. The call has ended.
Solomon. Weary with sleep sits up on the bed and looks ahead into nothing. He is pale and has the look of pure fear on his face.
SOLOMON (whisper): Shit.
***
Back inside 23C it is a new day. The bodies are gone but the blood remains, dried into the floor and dark with age. A man in his fifties with a thin face and body and short salt and pepper hair stands at the doorway with a younger man. The younger man has a stylish hair cut and he has an athletic build. The two men wear suits. The older mans a particle three button charcoal grey while the younger mans clothes are black and has a more stylish cut.
OLDER MAN: What's the word Agent Shaw?
SHAW: Same old story. He was a quiet man…
OLDER MAN: And the fake feds?
The two agents look down at the blood stains on the floor.
SHAW: couple of thugs out of New York. They have connections to one David Solomon.
Close on the older man. A half smile on his face.
OLDER MAN: David 'Sense' Solomon.
Shaw looks at his partner with a question.
SHAW: So you know him?
SHAW is this our guy?
The older man walks out of the room with his back to you and his partner. His hands are in his pockets.
SHAW: Agent Reese?
Still walking, the older man, Reese, hold his head up high.
REESE: He's my guy, Shaw. You chase him for as long as I do, then he can be "our guy".
Shaw stands alone in the room looking out the doorway towards his partner.
SHAW: Where you going?
SHAW: Reese?
***
It's mid-morning and a dark car speeds along the freeway.
Millar sits at the wheel of the car. He has a new set of smart casual dark clothes on and a new pair of sun glasses. He is focused, but behind the focus there is anger.
The cars take a right onto an off ramp.
Pan up to the freeway sign and it has the interstate badge for the I95 and below that there the sign reads NEW YORK with an arrow pointing north-east.
The car speeds off into the distance.
