Nightfall:Gallery Hunting

Thursday, May 11th 6:30 p.m.
Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Stacy's Apartment

**Fred**: **She lets out a quiet groan as she slowly sits up. She looks around, realizing she's in Stacy's apartment, laying in Stacy's bed.**

**Stacy**: Jesus Fred, I thought you were going to sleep all day. **She's standing in the kitchen, a pot of coffee going.**

**Fred**: **She looks at Stacy as she sits up.** I always sleep all day. **She gets off the couch, her skin looks pale.** What am I doing in your apartment?

**Stacy**: Hello? *Earth to Fred*, you passed out in the damn hall and Marcus had to carry you here after you wouldn't let him call an ambulance!

**Fred**: **She looks towards the floor, tring to remember what happened.** ...That's right, I don't have any health insurance, ambulances cost over two-thousand bucks, that's why.

**Stacy**: ...So what the hell happened last night?

**Fred**: She thinks back. I uhh... Left with that guy... Thomas... We went out for a drink, then he took me to some gallery... **She's starting to look disoriented.** I don't know I probably just drank too much and made him drop me off. So much for listening to your advice.

**Stacy**: I'm gonna go get Marcus.

**Fred**: ...Why? **She watches Stacy move towards the door.**

**Stacy**: Because he was a total sweetheart as usual, carrying you down here and he actually stayed up and made sure you were ok. **She leaves through the door and quickly walks down the hall.**

**As Stacy approaches Marcus's apartment door, which is up the stairs in the same hallway, she can hear music coming from inside. "Sweet Dreams" is playing from his radio. His door is open, not usually locked when he's home.**

**Stacy**: **She knocks on his door loudly.** Cinderella finally woke up from her eternal slumber. **She opens the door as she's talking.** Thought you might want to know she's as obtuse as ever.

**Marcus**: **He's laying down beside his bed doing sit ups, wearing shorts and a tank top. He doesn't stop when Stacy opens the door. His apartment is somewhat plain looking compared to most rooms, with the only things on the floor being the dumbbells and a gym bag covered in clothes beside the drawer. His kitchen looks clean with just a jug of protein powder out on the counter. He doesn't look like he stays in his apartment all the time from the looks of it.** Forty two... Forty three... Forty four... Forty Five. **He decides that's enough and stands up, grabbing a small towel to clean up the sweat from his forehead.**

**Stacy**: You hear me? **She raises an eyebrow and looks him up and down.** Fred's up, thought you might want to know.

**Marcus**: Did she say what happened? **He drops the small towel and turns to look at her, he's still very slightly out of breath.**

**Stacy**: She said she went out drinking with that VIP. **She crosses her arms over her chest.** But she doesn't seem very hung over.

**Fred**: **Her voice comes from the hall.** I'm *fine*. **They can hear her unlocking the door to her apartment across the hall.**

**Marcus**: **He sighs slightly when he hears Fred enter her room and close the door behind her.** You heard her, she's fine.

**Stacy**: **She sighs.** This is what I get for worrying about people... **She rolls her eyes and turns, walking back out into the hall and then down the stairs to her room.** ...Taking care of people...

**Marcus**: **He walks up to his door and looks down the hall towards Stacy as she heads back into her apartment before looking over at Fred's door. He decides to leave her alone and goes back into his room.**

**Fred**: **She's laying on her bed, staring up at the decrepit apartment ceiling. She's tired, but doesn't feel sleepy. After about five more minutes she sits up and looks around her apartment, suddenly feeling restless. She moves over to her sink and grabs a plastic cup, filling it with water she takes a drink, then frowns slightly. It tastes strange, so she pours the rest out and then walks over to her fridge. It's almost empty, and nothing looks good. After a moment she shuts the door and puts the cup in the sink. She moves towards the bathroom to take a quick shower.**

**About fifteen more minutes pass and she's brushing her teeth, dressed in underwear and a blouse.**

**Fred**: **She looks at her reflection, noticing something with her make up. Even though it looks like it always does, something about it seems off, and she grabs a towel and starts to clean it off. Another five minutes pass and she's reapplied her make up, it looks almost the same as it was before. She goes back to brushing, but pauses as she notices something about her teeth in the mirror, she leans forward and opens her mouth, putting her thumb behind her top teeth and pushing at them, something about them seems off.** ...I need a tan... **She pushes at her cheeks and then goes back to brushing her teeth.** Sho bad... **She spits the toothpaste into the sink.**

**Another five minutes later she's knocking on Marcus's door.**

**Fred**: Hey Marcus, you home? She has her purse around her shoulder, like she's ready to go somewhere.

**Marcus**: **He opens his door, he's dressed in his more normal clothing. His hair is still a little wet from just having taken a shower.** Fred. Everything alright?

**Fred**: Was gonna head out and get a bite to eat, wanna go? My treat for... Taking care of me. **She shrugs a little.** In my time of drunken embarrassment.

**Marcus**: **He smiles a bit and nods after a moment.** Sure. **He looks down at his bare feet. Let me get my socks and shoes. He walks back to his drawer and gets them on.**

***About thirty minutes later...***

**Fred**: **She's sitting across the table from Marcus. Stacy has her boyfriend of the week over and didn't want to go out. They're at a local run down diner that's a few blocks from their apartment building. Their food's already arrived, and she's eating a hamburger with fries.** So how bad was I last night? **She still seems kind of embaressed.** I didn't throw up or anything, did I?

**Marcus**: You were just on the floor, completely out of it. We thought the guy drugged you...

**Fred**: **She looks confused for a moment.** I really don't remember what happened... It's kinda scary actually. She eats another fry, and has only take one bite of her hamburger. **She doesn't seem to be enjoying her food much.** ...I just remember leaving, then we got a drink... Thomas took me to see his gallery... Then I remember having a glass of wine I think... I don't think he drugged me, but it gets hazy after that... **She frowns a little and then lets out a quiet sigh.**

**Marcus**: If you don't think he drugged you then what happened? **He dips another fry in ketchup, having already finished the burger he ordered.**

**Fred**: **She shrugs looking at Marcus strangely.** I... Have no idea... **She eats another fry and looks down.** I can't remember, it's really hazy... But I mean... Drinking makes the most sense right? Why would some rich guy drug me? It's not like he'd need to do that just to get a girl in bed with him or something... Right? **She looks a little uncomfortable.** ...So I think I just drank too much and asked him to drop me off... I probably drank too much and then threw up on his couch or something... So he got pissed and drove me back... Home.

**Marcus**: You should tell Stacy next time. We had to ask the boss where you disappeared to.

**Fred**: I umm... She's the one that said I should do it, I thought she'd just... **She shrugs.** Yeah I probably should've checked in with you guys, sorry... **She frowns slightly.** That's so unlike me. **She sighs and leans forward putting her hand on her head.** ...Not to tell you guys where I'm going I mean. **She shakes her head and looks down at her food.** Does the food here taste weird today or something?

**Marcus**: **He raises an eyebrow as he eats another fry.** Tastes the same to me.

**Fred**: Maybe I'm just not hungry... **She leans back in her chair and looks at Marcus strangely.** ...Or I just want something... Else, I dunno. **She looks away from him.** ...Or maybe I'm just still out of it from last night. **She puts her hand back on her forehead.** ...I'm just... Like... Really thirsty or something... It's hard to put into words.

**Marcus**: **He's starting to get a little worried about her, thinking something might be wrong.** I'm gonna get you some water, Fred. **He stands up to ask the old woman at the counter for a cup of water.**

**Fred**: **She looks at her soda and sighs, then looks out the window. It's well after sunset and they should probably be heading to work soon. She grabs another fry and takes a bite, but it just tastes strange to her and she leans back in her chair, pulling her hair from her face and looking to Marcus as he's getting a water for her.**

**Old Woman**: **She looks at Marcus.** Wadda need? **She's hunched over the counter, and slowly looks up at Marcus. She's shaking slightly, likely due to her advanced age.**

**Fred**: **As she stares at the old woman she can see a kind of quality about her, something she can't really explain, even to herself. It's not just that the woman is obvious very old and weak, it's something else about her on top of that, which makes her seem even weaker somehow. She looks back to Marcus and there's a similar feeling about him, but the opposite. Confused, she turns and looks around the diner, at the far back there's a few teenagers in a booth talking loudly, from what she can tell they have a similar quality to Marcus, though it's not the same. After a moment she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, letting out a long sigh as she leans forward and rests her arms on the table, causing her long brown hair to fall in front of most of her face.**

**Marcus**: **He comes back and places the cup of water in front of Fred before sitting back down.** You might just be dehydrated.

**Fred**: **She looks up at the water, pulling half her hair back behind her ear.** Yeah, that's probably it. **She grabs the water and drinks it slowly. After a moment she seems to force herself to drink the whole thing down and she puts the glass back onto the table, she looks a little disgusted. What is with the water today? This tastes just like the water in my apartment, it's gross. Even when I was brushing my teeth... She shakes her head. It was like I drank a cup of orange juice first or something.**

**Marcus**: He looks down as he takes a sip from his soda. You going into work today?

**Fred**: I dunno... Almost feel like I should... **She sighs and leans back in her chair.** ...Like I should try and find... Thomas... Just to figure out what happened. **She shakes her head, obviously unsure of the idea.**

**Marcus**: You think he'll be at the club again? **He seems unsure he'll show up again if Fred actually did throw up during their "date".**

**Fred**: I don't know... If he kicked me back home, or I pissed him off or something, I don't see why he'd be there again...

**Marcus**: Why don't you take the night off? All these strange things you're feeling might just be your body trying to recover from before.

**Fred**: I'm not sure Calypso would like me taking the night off after she let me leave early yesterday, but I guess it couldn't hurt to call in and ask. **She grabs her purse, opening it. She looks towards the counter.** Hey could we get the check?

**Old Woman**: **She nods.** Yeah... One moment... **She rings up the register and pulls out the receipt. She turns and slowly starts to walk around the counter towards them.**

**Fred**: **She watches the old woman slowly make her way towards them, then looks over at Marcus she shakes her head, standing up and making her way towards the counter.**

***About twenty minutes later...***

**Fred**: **She's on the phone with Calypso.** Yeah... I was wondering if I could get the night off... I'm feeling really under the weather...

**Calypso**: **She's painting her nails while looking down at an open magazine with a picture a beautiful goth teenager with black painted nails.** You must of had a wild time last night to need the night off. **She smirks.** Don't tell me you're going out on another date with Thomas.

**Fred**: I don't think so, I'm not feeling too well. **She sighs.** Why'd you give me the night off early? I appreciated it but... Just don't remember you giving people time off to go on a date... Before.

**Calypso**: How could I not? The two of you looked so in love, the passion was so intense and the look in your eyes. It so brought back memories of my youth and all that time I spent with Trevor. **A single tear goes down her face but her expression doesn't look very emotional.**

**Acacio**: Poor dear. **He gently wipes the tear up with a scented tissue.**

**Fred**: ...In love? **A look of confusion goes across her face.** ...Well, um... Anyway... I was just wondering if I could get the day off... I think I might've caught something when I was out last night.

**Calypso**: She brings her hand to her mouth, making a silent gasp. From Thomas? I do hope he used protection.

**Acacio**: His voice can be heard in the background. The scandal is real.

**Fred**: ...What? **She starts to worry, not even thinking of something like that.** I-I remember him being... Nice about everything... **She sighs, becoming a little frustrated.** A *perfect* gentleman... I don't... Think I have anything like that... You're confusing me...

**Calypso**: **She hands the phone to Acacio as she starts painting her nails again. He holds it up to her ear.** Take care of yourself tonight and get some rest. I do hope everything's alright. I'll see you tomorrow night.

**Fred**: Thanks... I'll see you tomorrow night... **She hangs up and sighs, everything seems a lot more complicated than it needs to be. She stands up and grabs her long coat and purse, heading for the door. She heads out into the hall.**

**Stacy**: Now who's running late? **She has her arms crossed over her chest, she looks like she's ready to go to work.**

**Fred**: I asked for the night off. **She looks to Marcus' door, then back to Stacy.**

**Stacy**: Still sick?

**Fred**: Yeah... Thought I'd try to find Thomas and talk to him about what happened last night...

**Stacy**: On your own? What if he drugged you or something?

**Fred**: She rolls her eyes. I think I'd remember something like that.

**Stacy**: **She feels bad, having been the one that gave her the advice to go out with him.** Well, I can't go with you, there's no one else to fill in at the bar tonight, but you shouldn't go alone, get Marcus to go with you.

**Fred**: **She looks around.** I think he's already helped out a lot, I don't want to be annoying.

**Marcus**: **He opens the front door and looks up the stairs to see if the girls are ready. He's dressed and ready for work before them as usual.** You coming?

**Fred**: **She turns to look at Marcus.** I'm going to go track down Thomas if I can, I think I remember where his gallery was.

**Stacy**: **She's standing behind Fred, motioning to her to try and get Marcus to go with her.**

**Marcus**: **He looks at Stacy and then slowly starts nodding.** I'll help you find him. I'd like to know why you can't remember what happened last night too...

**Fred**: Thanks, but you don't have to.

**Stacy**: Jesus Fred, we came home and you were passed out and blathering in the damn hallway and didn't move for like twelve hours. We thought you were dead. Marcus is going with you, at least he can beat the shit out of that guy if he tries anything else!

**Fred**: **She looks to Marcus.** Thanks Marcus. **She smiles a little.**

**Stacy**: Anyway I gotta get to work, tell me about this when I get home in the morning. I want to know what the hell is going on around here. **She turns and starts walking down the hallway.** I feel like I'm back in high school! **Her loud voice fades as she turns down the hallway and leaves the building.**

**Marcus**: We'll take my car. **He takes out his car keys and heads out of the apartment with her.**

**Fred**: Thanks Marcus, I really mean it. I don't know what the hell is going on with me. **As they walk to Marcus's car there's a cop standing in front of an old homeless man.**

**Homeless Man**: I thought he was just sleepin, wasn't till this afternoon that I noticed something was wrong. Since when you cops give a shit 'bout us homeless folk anyway?

**Officer**: Well it's the nature of his condition I 'suppose. Doctors are saying his blood cell count is way down, like someone drained him of blood.

**Homeless Man**: What you think that damn Mexican goat sucker is runnin through the streets? **He laughs a little.**

Officer: No, I think someone probably drained him to sell the blood on the black market.

**Fred**: **As they pass by the cop and the homeless man she has a strange look on her face and shakes her head.**

**Homeless Man:** Yeah I hear that selling a coked up elderly man's blood goes for a killing on the underground market. **He laughs a wheezing laugh.** Thas why I'm livin like a king man! Heheh... Heh... **He coughs.** You cops are some kinda shit man...

**Marcus**: **He gets into his dark grey Honda Accord and looks out to the cop and the homeless man.** Taking someone's blood just to sell it. That's really messed up. **He starts the car up.**

**Fred**: The old guy's right, that's a really... Odd thing to do. **She gets into the passenger's side.** ...Don't you have to call into work or something? Tell them you're not showing up?

**Marcus**: Winston has my back. I've covered for him ten times this year so he owes me. **He smiles a bit and looks over at her.** Which way we going?

**Fred**: Go down to the club, then take a left. It's down by the pier, I remember seeing the ferris wheel from the entrance. **She looks out the window. A few minutes pass and she points ahead to an old-looking building.** That's it, right there. I remember the sign. She nods. I definitely remember.

**Marcus**: **He finds a spot to park and turns the engine off. This is a gallery? He looks the old-looking building over as he gets out of the car.**

**Fred**: It looks nicer on the inside. **She gets out and looks around, feeling hesitant about this. She looks to Marcus for a moment and then starts to head around towards the entrance to the gallery. As they reach the entrance the doors are open despite it being so late. She steps inside and looks around. Like Fred said, the gallery is a lot nicer on the inside, cleaner and more modern, with paintings and photographs hanging on all of the walls.** This is definitely the place. **She looks around, there's no one at the front desk, but they can hear some people talking a bit farther into the gallery.**

**Marcus**: **He walks ahead towards the source of the voice, not wanting to waste time finding Thomas.**

**Fred**: **She follows behind him, looking around at the interior of the gallery. Things are slowly coming back to her.**

**As the two of them pass a large painting display there's a pair of men in black and blue business suits looking around the back of the office.**

**Man in Black**: **He's on the phone. He's not here. He notices Marcus and Fred walk in.** But I think his childe is... **The Man in Blue turns and quickly starts moving towards the two of them, with obviously aggressive intent.**

**Marcus**: **He sees the two men in suits and yells out to them.** We're looking for Thomas. Where is he? **He slows down when he sees one of them almost running towards them.**

**Man in Blue**: **He breaks into a sprint that seems way too fast as he runs towards Marcus, he leaps to tackle Marcus to the ground.**

**Marcus**: Really? **He moves to the side and immediately grabs the man's arm when he's close enough before using his other hand to push down on his neck to disable him from fighting back. When he realizes he can't hold him down he wraps his arms around his neck and chin as he gets behind him.** What do you think you're doing?!

**Man in Black**: No we can handle it. **He looks to Fred who seems scared. Then back to Marcus as he holds the man dressed in blue around the neck.**

**Fred**: What the hell?!

**Man in Black**: **He runs towards Fred with the same incredible speed as his blue friend.**

**Fred**: **As he reaches her she turns and back hands him across the face with reflexively fast speed, and he's knocked to the side and send spinning to the floor. She looks more surprised than he does and grabs her wrist, her hand hurting from hitting him so apparently hard.**

**Man in Blue**: **He tries to elbow Marcus in the stomach as he holds him. Despite acting so confident it's obvious that he's not a very good fighter and doesn't really know what to do now that Marcus has him.**

**Marcus**: **He keeps him in the chokehold and easily moves out of the way from the slow elbow as the Man in Blue starts to lose consciousness. He lays him down as he feels his arms going limp and looks towards the Man in Black.** Let me ask nicely one more time. What's going on here?

**Man in Black**: **He jumps to his feet and moves to grab Fred, pulling her towards him and pulling her arm behind her back as he spins her to face Marcus. He flips a butterfly knife out from his pocket and puts it to Fred's neck. He stares at Marcus with a blank expression.** We got what we came for. Go home tough guy.

**Marcus**: **He raises his hands a bit and stops when he sees him raise the knife to Fred's neck.** Let's talk this out, there's no need for anyone to get hurt.

**Fred**: **She looks back and forth.** Marcus?

**Man in Black**: There's nothing to talk about. *Leave*. You're done here.

**Marcus**: That's my friend you're holding there, Sir. I can't just walk away from this.

**Man in Black**: Do I look like I care? Scram, kid, or I'm gonna think of dying my favorite knife here red- **A blur slams into the man suddenly, pulls him away from Fred and then slams him into the wall.**

**Thomas**: **He's suddenly holding the man in black up against the wall.** We should leave. **He looks back to Marcus as Fred falls forward onto the ground.**

**Marcus**: **He runs up to Fred to check if she's okay before helping her up. He wants to ask what just happened but decides to get out of there instead.** Let's get you out of here. This place isn't safe.

**Thomas**: **He lets go of the guy and turns, moving towards Marcus and Fred.**

**Fred**: **She looks visible shaken.**

**Thomas**: This way. **He moves passed them quickly. As he does there's a crackling hum that fills the air, and an electrified bolt of energy tears through one of the displays and hits the Man in Black right in the chest. He screams and then suddenly bursts into cinders and ash. He turns and to see what just happened.** Take her out the back and get to your car. **As the man in Blue is getting to his feet another bolt of golden lightning tears through another display and just barely misses him.** Don't wait for me.

**Marcus**: **He's looks away from the bursts of electricity, thinking someone's using some type of electrically security to cause all of this. He whispers but still talks loudly.** We gotta move! Fred! **He sees she's shaking and picks her up to get out of there, going out what he thinks is the backway.**

**Fred**: Jesus Christ, what the hell was that!? **She keeps grabbing at her neck where the knife was going to cut.**

**Marcus**: I really don't know. Let's just get you to safety before any more of those guys show up. **He turns the corner and finds the backdoor. He puts Fred back down on her feet and opens the door slowly, quickly peeking to see if there's anyone else out there in a suit.**

**There's a young woman with black hair, wearing glasses and a business dress, standing with a clipboard down the alleyway. She looks annoyed, like she's waiting for someone. She's facing away from them.**

**Marcus**: The car's down that way. I don't see anymore of those guys... Let's go. **He walks down the alleyway with Fred behind him towards the young woman.**

**Fred**: **She follows after Marcus quickly.**

**Sloan**: **She turns to look at them, and as they move towards her she takes a step back to stay out of their way, then immediately looks down at her shoe, having stepped in a small puddle.** Great.

**Marcus**: Get out of here, lady. This place isn't safe. **He passes her and quickly gets to his car with Fred.**

**Sloan**: **She narrows her eyes at the two of them as they pass, they can hear her let out a quiet sigh as she turns kicks her wet heeled boot against the side of the building to get some of the water off of it.**

**Fred**: **She gets into his car. She's still shaking a little as she looks at the gallery building.** I think that raised more questions than answered.

**Marcus**: **He goes around and quickly gets in, getting the engine on fast and backing out of the sidewalk to drive out into the road. After a moment he looks back to see if anyone's following them.**

**Fred**: **Her eyes start watering, but she wipes them several times and looks out the window to try to hide it. After a long pause she takes a deep breath, like she's going to say something, but doesn't say anything.**

**Marcus**: **He's breathing fast, still running off some of the adrenaline after those two men attacked them.** I don't understand what happened. I thought those guys worked for Thomas but...

**Fred**: Maybe he's in trouble... Owes money to someone... Or something... I don't know... **She leans back in her seat and lets out a long breath, trying to stay calm.**

**Marcus**: What about you? He didn't hurt you, did he?

**A speeding car rushes down the intersection towards Marcus's car.**

**Fred**: She touches her neck. ...No I think I'm ok. **Her wrist and hand don't even hurt from when she hit him. She looks at the oncoming car strangely, unsure if it's going to crash into them.** Uh-uhh...

**Marcus**: He looks back at her. Fred, what's wrong-

**His voice is cut off as the speeding car slams into them, the shrieking sound of metal tearing through the air as Marcus's car is dragged across the street. Debris from the car are sent all over the street as the car crash ends about 10 yards away. The whole time Marcus's horn is going off, like his body is pressed up against it but it dies off after a minute.**

**As Fred comes to she sees that the right side of the car is completely wrecked, with most of the metals bent inwards towards the engine and where Marcus was sitting. The air bag saved her life but it already deflated.**

**Fred**: **She looks around, taking in the situation for a moment. At this point she's almost emotionally overloaded and something inside of her starts to boil up as she hears her heart pounding in her ears.**

**The scent of blood is in the air. When she looks she sees it's coming from Marcus, at this angle only his bloody arm can be seen dripping all over the car's floor. There's so much blood that the smell is overwhelming for her.**

**Fred**: **She lets out a long sigh and slowly creeps across the center divider towards Marcus.** ...Marcus? **She sounds concerned, but at the same time her eyes go wide and she leans closer to him, grabbing his arm, she pulls her hand away and it's covered in blood. She immediately starts licking if off her palm without thinking.**

**There's no response from Marcus. While she decides what to do she hears the sound of the other car's door opening, there's footsteps going back to what sounds like the trunk of their car. The vehicle doesn't look anywhere near as damaged and it's much taller than Marcus's car, like it was made to survive impacts like this.**

**Christopher**: I can see her breathing on the windows. **He pauses like he's listening to someone.** She doesn't have anywhere to go, the cops will finish her off when she goes into a frenzy. **He gets back into his car and starts it up, his muffled voice fades away as he drives off.**

**Fred**: **She narrows her eyes and listens to Christopher's voice, then slowly looks back to Marcus. She wipes her mouth and then leans forward and bites into Marcus's arm. She lets out a quiet sigh as she starts to suck the blood out of his arm.**

**The door to the car is suddenly ripped off behind her and she's pulled out of the car and out onto the sidewalk.**

**Thomas**: **He has a black hood up as he holds her back and quickly looks around. The accident has caused an obvious scene, and there's a sound of sirens already ringing in the distance. He pulls Fred away from the car, practically lifting her with one arm as he holds her against his chest, and moves down the sidewalk and into an alleyway.** Stop.

**Fred**: **She struggles to get free of his grip and pulls as his arm as he carries her down the alleyway.**

**Thomas**: **He throws Fred against the wall and then pins her there.** Stop!

**Fred**: **She blinks as few times quickly, then looks around for a moment, like she's just woken up from a trance. Without another word he grabs her wrist and pulls her down the alleyway. She looks back down towards the sidewalk, unsure of what's going on. She doesn't even remember the car accident, and she's starting to look scared.**