Down with the Sickness

**"Down with the Sickness"** is the first episode of the first season of *V Wars*.

## Summary

Dr. Luther Swann and Michael Fayne investigate an abandoned research center that holds an ancient bio-mass that could adversely affect society as we know it. After exposure, some heal within a few days as one would from a severe cold; others transform into savage killers. More questions arise and the body count begins to soar as more people are exposed to this disease throughout the country.

## Plot

Spoiler alert
[click to expand]A man struggles painfully through adverse snowy conditions, and within moments, shoots himself in the head
Dr Luther Swann, a research scientist, is speaking at a conference regarding climate change and the potential for ancient, yet discovered bacterial, biological threats and his theory regarding the end of mankind.  His wife approaches him afterwards, and there is a flirtatious moment before planning to celebrate their anniversary-- which is cut short by a visitor, Dr. Lansing from the Arctic Science Exchange.  Their team has lost contact with those at the Arctic Research Station, and there has been no contact for three days.  They had found something and wanted to speak to Dr. Swann regarding it before they fell silent.  Dr. Lansing wants Dr. Swann to check on things there, and he hesitates but agrees to investigate it.

Luther contacts Michael Fayne-- his closest friend, a "brother", who is also an experienced pilot-- to help him reach the station, but when they arrive, they find the station is abandoned, is in complete disarray, and upon finding materials being researched, Luther realizes that he and Michael have been exposed to some kind of bio-mass.  They are quarantined and tested until it can be determined they are seemingly safe and healthy; the bio-mass has been sent to his lab for further testing.  As they are feeling better, Michael starts to experience faster reflexes and a heightened sense of smell.  As a lack of results in their medical testing, they are finally released, and the sickness was considered equivalent to that of a cold of unknown origin-- it had them "down" for a bit and passed.

Luther returns home to his wife and son.  At bedtime, his wife, Jess, is a bit frisky and happy to have him home, and they make love.

Michael's girlfriend, Danika Dubov, comes over and there's a moment during their flirtations where he seduces her and then attacks her on the counter.  He comes to his senses, and she reminds them that they have dinner plans.

Back at the lab, Luther and his assistant, Teresa Tangorra, discuss the confusion of making any progress on the discovered bio-mass.

Michael is sitting at a bar and hears on the news about a murder that catches his attention.  He experiences heightened hearing and visual ability, and distraught, flees the bar.

Kaylee Vo, an investigative reporter who secretly runs a widely-viewed web page, and her boyfriend / intern / tech whiz, Jergen Weber are having sex when a phone call interrupts things.  Crooked cop, Les, has some new information to sell to her on the newest kill from the killer all over the news, and Kaylee is all too eager to have it.

Luther and Michael meet for lunch at a local bar.  Michael mentions having a lot of dental pain and discomfort and that he went to see his dentist, Dr. Mackey, but there were no findings for why.  Michael explains his heightened senses to Luther since the exposure.  he fears something is, in fact, wrong with him, and Luther says they will do further testing, that he is sure there's nothing to worry about.  Michael tells Luther that that [nothing to worry about] is what he tells Luther when there is a lot to worry about.

Kaylee expresses to Jergen that it is the public's right to know as a reason for hacking into the coroner's files for all of the killer's victims.  They notice the pattern of severe blood loss, but there are large quantities of blood completely missing.  This leads to the obvious question: where did it go?

Teresa calls Luther to report further analyses on the bio-mass are finding nothing.  Luther tells her to start looking deeper and check for prions.  Luther tells his wife his research frustrations and how everything is coming back clean.  Jess suggests getting away, grabbing pizza, maybe a little "fun" afterwards, but Michael calls, sounds upset, frantic, begs Luther to come as he needs his help but does not say why but texts the address.

Luther drives over and finds Michael, and a dead body, at the house of a bartender he picked up-- and possibly slaughtered, but Michael has no recollection of what happened but swears he could not have done this.  Frantic, he begs Luther to help him clean up and give him time to find out who did this.  Luther stresses the need to contact the police, but Michael stresses that he will end up in prison and they'll never know who killed the woman.  Michael begs him for help, and against his better judgement, Luther helps his friend attempt to cover the crime.

Later, Luther is still troubled by all that has happened and knows he has made a terrible mistake by trying to cover this up, is determined to do what is right and report the incident to the police. Luther feels he owes his life to Michael, several times over, but feels Michael is really sick and dangerous and needs help.

During this time, Michael is experiencing flashbacks and unknowingly destroys parts of his bathroom while reliving the murder.  He leaves the house and absent-mindedly begins to stalk a woman for his next kill.  Michael is wounded during the attack and taken into police custody.  He does not realize that Luther is already at the station reporting the crime to Detective Mike Yanov who treats him like a criminal, threatening him with obstruction, telling him he should have brought a lawyer.  Yanov says Michael was shot and brought into custody and would only talk to Luther.

When Luther was brought in to talk to Michael from behind the interrogation area, Michael could hear them and told them so-- even with the microphone cut off.  It turns out one of the other victims was William Mackey, Michael's dentist, whom he had somehow infected.  Luther asks to go in to speak to him face to face.  Luther explains that he feels the bio-mass they were exposed to has something to do with these events, but Michael asks why it is happening to him and not Luther since they were both exposed.  Luther does not know and considers there may be a co-factor involved.  He does not know.  Michael confesses he did it, killed the woman, and Luther warns him to shut up as the police are listening.  Michael thought that Luther was there for him, for support, but realizes that Luther betrayed him by reporting the crime to the police and lashes out at his "brother".  In addition to heightened senses, he has increased strength and snaps the cuffs, goes completely violent, and brutalizes several officers.

Kaylee receives a new tip from Les with more information and requesting more compensation-- two serial killers, one in custody, more photos.  The prospect is incredible, so Kaylee accepts, but she wants to meet Michael.  Les says she is on her on for that.  Kaylee bets Jergen that the victims blood is gone, and bets someone "drank" it.  Her eyes light up, the sensationalism of the internet and story, claims it to be the work of vampires.

Subdued, Michael is brought in for medical care.  Teresa calls with information regarding the further analysis: they discovered unknown prions.  These were found in the bio-mass, the ancient human skull at the original site, and Michael Fayne.  Jess calls, and Luther is considered under arrest and has not returned.  Luther explains the biological threat to her, and she worries as they were all around him, including her step-son and Luther's son, Desmond aka "Dez".  Further, the doctors reveal that Michael is also healed from the gunshot wounds and that over a liter of blood was found in Michael's stomach along with other biological abnormalities in their tests.  In the meantime, Kaylee sneaks into the location where Michael is being held and attempts to interview him.  At this point, Michael snaps his restraints, physically transforms, attacks several people, including an attempt to attack Kaylee, and flees the building.  Luther begs the detective to let him go to his family, protect and recover them, as Michael knows where they live, and Yanov reluctantly agrees.

Dez is walking home but thinks he is being followed thru the woods.  Luther tells him to go home and lock the doors.  There, a transformed Jess, his stepmother, attacks him as Luther arrives, and he is forced to kill his wife to protect his son.  Police arrive immediately following this and suspect Dez of being a murderer and arrest him and send Dez into Child Protective Services.  While being handcuffed, Luther lies on the floor staring at his dead wife who has transformed back into the woman he knew and loved.

## Cast and characters

* Adrian Holmes as Michael Fayne (1/10)
* Jacky Lai as Kaylee Vo (1/10)
* Kyle Breitkopf as Dez (1/10)
* Kimberly-Sue Murray as Danika Dubov (1/10)

Cast* Nigel Bennet as Dr. Emil Lansing (1/1)
* Samantha Liana Cole as Teresa Tangorra (1/6)
* Jessica Harmon as Jessica (1/2)
* Teddy Moynihan as Jergen Weber (1/6)
* Dylan Trowbridge as Les (1/2)
* Hardee T. Lineham as Detective Yanov (1/3)

Supporting cast* Val Cole as Anchor #2 (1/1)
* Trish Rainone as Cassie (1/1)
* Kelly Lamb as Tunnel victim (1/1)
* Michael Regan as Uniform #1 (1/1)
* Aniko Kaszas as Woman Cop (1/1)
* Liam Siebolt as Hospital Cop (1/1)
* Charlie Ebbs as Doctor (1/1)
* Michael Dufays as Orderly (1/1)
* Jack Stonehouse as Cop (Swann arrest) (1/1)

## Quotes

Michael: *"...But I do know there's something wrong with me."*
Luther: (nodding) *"Well, we'll run some test for sure. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."*
Michael: *"That's what I say to you whenever there's a lot to worry about."*
## Trivia

* "Down with the Sickness" is a song by the heavy metal band Disturbed