Episode 4 - Detour
ACT THREE
INT. THE MAGIC BOX - NIGHT
CLOSE ON : A PLATE OF SANDWICHES
ANYA (O.S.)
Peanojam?
WIDEN :
to reveal Anya holding the plate out to Willow, Dawn,
Xander and Buffy at the table. Giles and Tara are
standing in a corner of the shop and Christopher is
standing near the door, looking out.
WILLOW
(taking a sandwich)
Um.. thanks?
Anya holds the plate out to Dawn, who takes one, and
Buffy, who declines. She then holds it out to Xander.
XANDER
No thanks An. I'm all Peanojammed
out.
Anya leaves the table and heads to Chris. Willow
carefully pries the sandwich apart, staring at its
contents.
WILLOW
(to Xander)
Is this what I think it is?
XANDER
Yeah Will, Peanut butter and jam.
WILLOW
(relieved)
Oh Good. Not what I thought it was.
Willow and Dawn dig in.
BUFFY
(looking at her watch)
It's getting kinda late.
WILLOW
Yeah, you'd think for a bunch of
wannabe Watchers, they'd take the
time to watch their watch.
Willow smiles but no one seems to have noticed.
WILLOW
You see what I did there? I made
puns.
BUFFY
It was very good Will. A punning
good time for all.
Willow turns to Xander.
XANDER
(off Willow's look)
You should have been here this
afternoon. You'd understand why the
word 'watch' holds no meaning to me
anymore.
ANGLE : GILES AND TARA
as Anya comes up to offer some more sandwiches. Tara
takes one, Giles declines. Anya heads back to the
table.
TARA
So, what do you think?
GILES
Well, yes of course. If you think it
would be good for Dawn. I could come
over when Buffy's patrolling and I
suppose we could .. bond.
TARA
(noticing Giles' look)
Don't worry. You have it in you. We
all see it.
Giles is a little embarrassed.
TARA
I just think that there's this gap
in her life that no one here can
fill, except for you.. There
shouldn't be gaps.
GILES
Are you okay? You seem a little..
TARA
It's nothing really. Just postcards.
GILES
Postcards?
TARA
From my dad. He sent another one,
this time from Denver. He doesn't
write anything on them, but I know
it's him. It's like he's leaving a
trail, you know, of all the towns
and cities he's passing through.
(a beat, then)
Which is kinda appropriate, I guess,
with how people just always seem to
pass through your life, you know, in
and out. I just thought family would
be different.
GILES
Tara, take a look over at that
table.
Tara looks at the table with Buffy, Willow, Dawn,
Xander and Anya sitting around, talking and laughing.
GILES
They're not going anywhere.. None of
us are.
Tara smiles at Giles. Giles puts an arm around Tara
and gives her a small hug.
ANGLE : BUFFY
looking at Giles and Tara with a strange look on her
face.
CHRISTOPHER (O.S.)
Someone's coming.
Sasha and a male companion (strong-looking, stern
face) burst into the shop, out of breath. Their suits
are a little torn. The Gang approaches them.
SASHA
(breathing hard)
Vamp.. vampires.
BUFFY
Vampires? Where?
SASHA
(distressed)
Right behind us. They attacked.. the
van.. just outside town. There was
nowhere to go.
BUFFY
They're coming here?
(looks at Dawn, then
urgently to Giles)
Giles!
GILES
Right, quick. Everyone out the back.
CHRISTOPHER
(looking out the window)
I can see them. They're coming.
They all run to the training room.
INT. MAGIC BOX/TRAINING ROOM - NIGHT
Buffy, Xander and Giles stop momentarily to pick up
some weapons.
WILLOW
Hurry guys.
They finish picking the weapons up. Buffy opens the
back door to check the if the coast is clear. She then
motions for the group to follow her.
EXT. BEHIND THE MAGIC SHOP - NIGHT
We see the group huddled together in a bunch. Giles
and Buffy at the front, and Christopher at the back.
They are on a small street.
Suddenly, a group of vampires appear at the far end of
the street.
BUFFY
This way.
As Buffy leads the group in the opposite direction.
Much more running ensues, with vampires turning up
almost magically, blocking exit routes.
They finally lose the vamps when they turn down a
street. In front of them, they see a large warehouse.
Buffy runs forward to the door and breaks the lock.
BUFFY
Quick, in here. We can't outrun
them.
The group pile in.
INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT.
Buffy, Xander and Christopher immediately secure the
door behind them. Pushing objects to block it.
BUFFY
(whispering)
Everyone, stay quiet.
The group stays silent. At first we see and hear
nothing. Then we hear footsteps, coming towards the
warehouse. They stop a few metres shy of the front
door. We hear voices of two vampires.
VAMP#1 (O.S.)
We've lost them. They could be
anywhere.
VAMP#2 (O.S.)
We can't. The master will be
displeased. Leave a man at every
street corner. They must still be
around here somewhere.
The two vampires disperse. The gang is relieved.
Buffy takes a good look around the warehouse. It is
weakly illuminated by some lights. There are boxes and
crates everywhere. There is a second level on the left
side of the warehouse (clearly visible from the ground
floor) where there are even more crates. She looks up
and notices a skylight.
BUFFY
You guys will be safe here for now.
There's only one way for the vamps
to get in, even if they figure out
where you are.
(to Giles)
I have to go.
XANDER
Go? Where?
BUFFY
To the van. There could still be
people alive, hiding from the vamps.
(to Sasha)
Where is it?
SASHA
On the main road, just outside the
town.. but I don't think there's
anyone left alive.
BUFFY
I have to be sure.
SASHA
It's too dangerous. There's too
many.
BUFFY
I can handle them.
XANDER
Maybe we should come with?
BUFFY
No. I want you guys here to look
after each other.
(looking at Dawn)
I don't want any of you getting
hurt. The more of you they are here,
the better I'll feel. But I have to
go.
CHRISTOPHER
I'm coming with you. Where the
slayer goes, I go.
Buffy looks at Christopher for a beat, sees his
determination.
BUFFY
Fine. But watch your own back,
because I'm not going to.
Buffy turns to look at the group again, a slight
expression of concern on her face.
GILES
(off her look)
We'll be fine. We all have weapons.
DAWN
Come back soon.
BUFFY
Count on it.
Buffy and Christopher walk up the stairs to the second
tier and carefully climb out of the skylight.
EXT. STREET OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
ANGLE : BUFFY AND CHRISTOPHER ON THE ROOF
through a binoculars POV.
VINCENT (O.S.)
There she goes. But she's taking
someone else with her.
ANGLE : VINCENT AND TARWIN
hiding behind a truck. Vincent puts down his
binoculars.
VINCENT
No matter. He will die with the
slayer. I say we go in now and
finish off her friends.
TARWIN
No. The master said to wait. He will
come with more vampires when he has
killed the slayer.
VINCENT
We don't need them. We have enough.
TARWIN
(threatening)
We stick with the plan.
Vincent backs off. He wanders over to another group of
vampires, out of earshot of Tarwin.
VINCENT
(to the vamps)
I'm not about to let some outsider
come in and run our gang. I say we
go in now and have ourselves a
little feast.
The vamps smile.
INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT.
We see everyone spread out. Xander and Anya are at the
door. Willow, Tara and Dawn are sitting on the floor,
preparing some spells. Giles, Sasha and the other suit
are sitting at a table.
ANGLE : GILES, SASHA AND THE SUIT
as Giles dabs at a wound on Sasha's hand with a
handkerchief. Sasha winces with pain.
SASHA
(an educated British
accent)
I'm sorry. I know I should be of a
stronger fortitude, considering my
intended line of work.
GILES
It's fine. There's no shame in
displaying pain.
SASHA
(smiling)
I'll have to remember that.
My name's Sasha.
(nodding to the suit)
He's Solomon.
GILES
Rupert.
(to Solomon)
Are you hurt in any way?
Solomon seems offended. He gets up and walks towards
the door.
SASHA
Don't mind him. He's the strong,
silent type.
GILES
So Sasha? It's an unusal name for
someone from England.
SASHA
My Russian heritage. But I was born
and raised in England. I've been
living there forever. California is
quite a change of scenery for me.
GILES
You and me both, but you get used to
it.
Sasha becomes very quiet, seemingly reliving
something.
GILES
What is it?
SASHA
(a little distressed)
I don't think I'll ever get used to
the blood.. It was so violent and
brutal. It was the first time I've
seen anything like that.
GILES
It's not a job for everyone.
SASHA
I know. But I've been doing this for
so long, I don't really know of any
other life. I was chosen many years
ago, when I was so young, to be what
I am today. I suppose this is my
destiny.
(a beat, then)
Sometimes, I do wonder what kind of
life I might have had, outside this
world.
GILES
I understand. Sometimes, I wonder
myself. But I know I'm doing good
here, to rid the world of evil.
SASHA
Have you seen many?.. Vampires I
mean?
GILES
(pained)
Too many.
Sasha notices. She reaches out with her hand and
gently touches Giles' arm. He smiles and doesn't pull
away.
ANGLE : XANDER AND ANYA
XANDER
I'm sorry about tonight. You know,
our whole romantic evening, crashed
again by vampires.
ANYA
We'll do it another night. Besides,
this thing we all do. It's
important.. isn't it?
XANDER
(smiling)
Yeah. It is. Don't let anyone tell
you otherwise.
Solomon comes over to them, looking at them.
XANDER
(to Solomon)
Hey, there Watcher guy.
(extends his hand)
I'm Xander. This is Anya.
SOLOMON
(not shaking his hand)
Solomon. Xander is a strange name.
XANDER
Yeah. But not biblical.
Solomon just stares at him, expressionless.
Solomon walks away, heading towards Willow, Tara and
Dawn.
ANYA
Nice man.
XANDER
Yeah, instant party starter, just
add water.
ANGLE : WILLOW, DAWN AND TARA
sitting in a circle on the floor. There are some vials
placed in the middle. Solomon hovers over them
watching.
WILLOW
(holding a vial, to Dawn)
And this red one's a light spell.
You throw it down and vamps go all
blindy.
TARA
Just don't look at it yourself.
WILLOW
Yeah, you'll be seeing a big red
splotch for the rest of the day.
DAWN
(noticing Solomon)
Hover much?
SOLOMON
You three are witches?
Tara and Willow are a little nervous. They look at
each other for a beat.
TARA
We're registered.
WILLOW
Yeah. Level f-f-
TARA
-ive.
EXT. MAIN ROAD OUTSIDE SUNNYDALE - NIGHT
We see Christopher and Buffy approaching the Council
van which has been parked off the road. Nothing is
stirring.
BUFFY
This doesn't look good. Looks like
the vamps have fed and left.
CHRISTOPHER
Could be a trap.
BUFFY
I have to check.
Buffy and Christopher walk up to the van, very
carefully. They see some blood on some of the windows.
Buffy enters the van, Christopher follows.
INT/EXT. COUNCIL VAN - NIGHT
Buffy enters, takes a look and immediately reels
slightly backwards from what she sees.
BUFFY
Sasha was right.
Chris enters and looks coldly at the scene in front of
him.
ANGLE : A WOMAN'S HAND
as it lifelessly hangs from a seat. Christopher walks
up to it and stares at the body. He looks around the
van at the remaining bodies
CHRISTOPHER
All three are here. We should head
back.
Buffy looks down at Christopher's feet and shoots him
a look. Christopher looks down to see that he is
standing on the victim's blood. He turns back to
Buffy.
CHRISTOPHER
It's just blood.
Buffy shoots Christopher a disgusted look.
BUFFY
How can you be so cold? You can't
just.. Just wait until someone you
know dies.
Buffy heads back to the front of the van. Christopher
turns back to the body in front of him. He stares at
it for a beat. He then squats down and takes the
hanging hand and places it on the lap.
ANGLE : BUFFY
at the front of the van, checking the driver's seat
and the glove compartment. She finds nothing and turns
to exit the van.
ANGLE : SKEET
waiting outside the van.
SKEET
Hello slayer.. Goodbye slayer.
Buffy looks around and sees the van surrounded by
vampires.
INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT.
Everyone is still pretty much in the same places as
before. Giles is now standing with Xander and Anya and
Sasha is with Solomon, by Dawn, Willow and Tara.
Sasha hears something on the second tier. She looks up
at the skylight. Solomon notices.
SOLOMON
What is it?
SASHA
There's something up there.
Sasha grabs a stake and starts walking up the stairs,
heading towards the open skylight. Giles notices.
GILES
Sasha?
Sasha looks down at Giles and motions him to be quiet.
She continues walking up the stairs as Giles goes over
to the table to grab a weapon.
Sasha reaches the second level. She raises her stake,
carefully walking towards the open skylight.
Suddenly from behind a crate, Vincent jumps out and
stabs Sasha with a knife, then knocks Sasha to the
ground. Three more vampires emerge from behind
Vincent.
VINCENT
(smiling)
Bibs on boys. Time to feast.
Vincent vamps out and attacks Sasha.
BLACKOUT
END OF ACT THREE
CONTINUE TO ACT FOUR