Because I Could Not Stop for Death

**"Because I Could Not Stop for Death"** is the third episode of the first season of *V Wars*.

## Summary

The government struggles to contain and understand the outbreak. Kaylee interviews Luther's ex-wife while Danika pays her sister a visit.

## Plot

Spoiler alert
[click to expand]The episode starts with multiple attacks by multiple Bloods.  The authorities move in, but they're too late.  It's announced that the blood bath has claimed six victims.  Claire says they need this to be attributed to Michael Fayne, and she does not want the public to know this might be spreading.  Luther tells her he believes it, in fact, is spreading.
Michael hot wires a classic muscle car and speeds away.  Claire broadcasts on the news that her department is investigating the violence by Michael, and she urges the public to report anything seen.  Meanwhile, Kaylee and Jergen are watching and claim she is lying to the public.  Further, the biker club led by Bobby is listening to the news, and Bobby asks about Monster and asks where his money is.  They are going to go and collect the money from Paco themselves.

Luther chastises Claire, Niklos, and DNS about blaming things solely on Michael saying they lied to the public and took the easiest way out.

Bobby and his crew approach the location to collect their money.  Inside, they find Paco has been savaged and Paco's snakes are loose in the dwelling.  They need to find Monster, and if he's transformed into a vampire, they intend to kill him and "it's bad for business."  One of the crew, Jimmy Saint, is left at Paco's in case  Monster comes looking for the money.

Luther is doing research at his DNS lab.  Theresa has been seconded by DNS to work with Luther; she didn't mind as Luther could use a friend there with him.  Worried about his friend, Luther tells Niklos that he needs to join the search for Michael because their long friendship means he is the best chance for bringing Michael in alive and possibly finding a cure.

Michael pulls up to a shop, and a guy there admires the Charger.  Michael notices the guy has a truck and offers to trade-- says he's dealing with a messy divorce and needs to get off the grid.  The guy agrees, says they'd need to do the paperwork, and is excited about the car, says his girlfriend will love it.

Dani, Michael's girlfriend, is at a house she recently sold to another of her lovers.  She gets a notification on her phone and learns that Michael is reportedly a serial killer.  She panics and steps away to compose herself in the restroom.  At that time, her sister, Mila, calls her.  Their mother is getting worse (for other medical reasons) and Dani is needed to come early the next morning to sign the forms needed for power of attorney.  Mila stresses the need for this, and Dani agrees to come.

Luther is explaining to several of the higher ups at the DNS facility about the disease and the key questions: why do some some exposed to the prions change and others do not; what is the mechanism behind the transformation, and what dictates the type of creature that results.  They have to find the co-factor causing this.  He ran analyses on Michael, the dentist, and his late wife, Jess, and he found it seems linked to their junk DNS which is supposed to be inactive, but prions change that.  Luther believes they're a parallel species of humans, much like neanderthals.  They were never extinct-- just dormant.  When asked how many predators could there be, Luther explains there could potentially be thousands, tens of thousands, perhaps more-- but they need to find a cure before it's too late.

Kaylee hunts online for Luther.  They find out about Rachel, Luther's ex-wife and Dez's mother.

Jimmy Saint is attacked at Paco's but manages to fight off the Blood and kills him.

Luther is working in the lab, and Jack Fields from DNS contacts him, says they are picking him up to help with the search in five minutes.  Multiple cars leave quickly to pursue a lead on Michael Fayne.  They arrive at a building, and officers move in, begin searching.  Another victim is found, but not Michael.

Dani meets Mila at her sister's home to sign.  Mila offers to get her some soup.  There's a moment where the siblings share words of affection and appreciation for each other.  Dani begins to be affected and attacks her sister.

Kaylee meets at Rachel's home for an interview.  Rachel explains her relationship with her ex-husband, Luther, saying that he micromanages things, is controlling, manipulative.  She expresses her love and longing for her son, that their relationship has traumatized her son, that she's not allowed to see Dez.  The content of the video isn't sensational enough.  Kaylee directs her to focus on her ex being friends with a serial killer, that her son isn't safe with Luther.

Dez is watching the webcast and says he loves his mother too when he hears her express her love for him.  Luther asks about the program and demands to see it, gets frustrated when Rachel criticizes him.  Dez explains that he wants to see his mom.  Luther calls Rachel.  Rachel claims the interview was led when asked why she spoke the way she did, but it got him to call her.  Rachel and Dez both wants to see each other.

At a restaurant, Rachel is waiting, and Luther arrives without Dez, wanting to "feel things out".  Luther says he needs Rachel to say she lied, that he cannot handle Dez being afraid of him right now.  Angry at Luther for not bringing Dez, Rachel makes a scene but is stopped by Jack Fields who threatens her with a gun as he is assigned to keep an eye on Luther-- more of a prison guard than a bodyguard.  Jack expresses he knows the value of the work Luther is doing and feels DNS will be relieved to know Luther didn't attempt to escape.

Michael stops outside a cafe one evening, speaks to a woman who offers him coffee, asks to use her laptop to check his email.  He finds how things are being reported in the media while she goes to get his coffee, sees that Luther has been accused of killing Jess, and leaves quickly.

Claire and Niklos at DNS on behalf of the US government officially express their sympathies as they hand Luther an urn of Jess' remains.  Luther has a flashback of first meeting Jess.  Dez wakes and asks about his mom, but Luther says her condition is the same, maybe worse, and that he cannot see her right now.  Dez says he doesn't feel safe with vampires being out there.  Luther discounts it, says no one is turning into a bat, but Dez talks about myths and legends and how they have to start somewhere.

Michael is driving and is identified by a passing police car.  Support is called in, and Michael is pursued, pulls over, runs into the woods.

Luther further explains to Claire and Niklos about what and how this disease came about.  He shares his son's point: these are vampires, human predators that feed on other humans, but it's all founded on myths and legends.  These stories all have to start somewhere.  During this, they are alerted that Michael has been spotted.  Luther expresses that he can possibly help bring him in alive, and he is told to take Fields, the agent, with him.

In the woods, the two officers are looking for Michael.  The man, Lyle, is heard on his CB screaming by his partner; moments later, there is a growl, and the female officer turns abruptly.

DNS arrives and begins searching.  Luther finds the male officer pinned lifeless to a tree. Michael finds a phone and messages his condolences to Luther which Luther hides from the others.  Luther calls the number and tells Michael the officers are coming to kill him, and Michael flees.

## Cast and characters

* Adrian Holmes as Michael Fayne (3/10)
* Jacky Lai as Kaylee Vo (3/10)
* Kyle Breitkopf as Dez (3/10)
* Kimberly-Sue Murray as Danika Dubov (2/9)

Cast* Greg Bryk as Bobby (2/5)
* Michael Greyeyes as Jimmy Saint (1/8)
* Emmanuel Kabongo as Jack Fields (1/2)
* Jonathan Koensgen as Walker (1/3)
* Samantha Liana Cole as Teresa Tangorra (2/6)
* Morgan David Jones as Josh (1/3)
* Ian Matthews as Monster (2/2)
* Jessica Harmon as Jessica (2/2)
* Anthony Grant as Robert Harmidy (2/4)
* Kandyse McClure as Claire O'Hagan (2/6)
* and Laura Vandervoort as Mila Dubov (1/6)

Special guest star* Nikki Reed as Rachel Thompson (1/5)

Supporting cast* Flint Eagle as Blood 1 (1/1)
* Mike Chow as Blood 2 (1/1)
* Spider Allen as Packo (1/1)
* Bradley Hamilton as Brendan (1/1)
* Heather Stevenson as Mauled Female (1/1)
* Sara Hinding as Lynne Gill (1/1)
* Simon Lee Phillips as Officer Prez (1/1)
* Nicole St.Martin as Remy (1/1)

## Trivia

The episode's title alludes to an Emily Dickinson poem that begins:

"Because I Could Not Stop for Death

He Kindly Stopped for Me,

The Carriage Held But Just Ourselves

And Immortality."