02x12 - Nightshifter

[bunniefuu]

2.12 Nightshifter

Air Date: 25 Jan 2007

Teaser

SOON

8 - BREAKING NEWS

EXT. BANK - NIGHT

We see the scene — a bank surrounded by police cars, press, and an ambulance —through a handheld news camera. The tags "BANK ROBBERY - Milwaukee, WI" appear in the lower left corner and "RECORDED EARLIER" in the upper right. A female Reporter speaks off camera.

Reporter (O.C.): We're here downtown in front of the City Bank of Milwaukee, and though a short exchange of weapons fire occurred just minutes ago, police and SWAT teams maintain position as we enter the third hour of this intense standoff.

(ON CAMERA)

Authorities estimate as many as ten hostages are being held inside the bank; no word as yet on the identity of the suspects, or, uh,

(commotion behind her)

Something's happening. I think they're opening the door. Roger, are you getting this?

Police and others nearby shout over each other as the camera refocuses to the front door of the bank.

Man's Voice: No, don't sh**t, don't sh**t!

Dean's Voice: No, no, no, don't even think about it! Get the hell back!

The camera closes in on two men exiting the bank: a terrified security guard, and Dean, pushing the other man in front of him and holding a r*fle.

TITLE CARD: SUPERNATURAL

END Teaser

ACT ONE

SUBTITLE: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

ONE DAY AGO

INT. JEWELRY STORE - NIGHT

An attractive young woman (Frannie) comes out of the back with some papers in her hand. Dean turns to face her as she speaks. He is dressed in a dark suit.

Frannie: So what's it like, being an FBI guy?

Dean: Well, it's dangerous. And the secrets we've gotta keep, oh. God, the secrets. But mostly it's, it's lonely.

Frannie: I so know what you mean.

Dean: Yeah.

Elsewhere in the store: Sam, also dressed in a suit with slicked hair, is interrogating the manager, a middle aged man.

Manager: Helena was our head buyer. She . . . she was family, you know? She said it herself, every year at the Christmas party. She said we were the only family she had.

Sam: So there were never any signs that she'd do something like this?

Manager: No. Still can't believe it, even now. That night, Helena came back to the store after closing. Cleaned out all the display cases, and the safe. Edgar — our night watchman — he caught her in the act. He didn't know what to do, he'd known her for years. He called me at home.

Sam: And that's when she took his g*n?

Manager: She sh*t him in the face. I heard him die. Over the phone.

Sam: Any idea what her motive could have been?

Manager: What motive? It makes no sense. Why steal all those diamonds, all that jewelry, and then what? Just dump it somewhere, just hide it, and then go home and,

CUT TO: Dean AND Frannie

Dean: She k*lled herself?

Frannie: Well, the cops said. She dropped the hair dryer in the bath and fried herself. They should know, right?

Dean: Yeah. Well, thank you, Frannie, I think that's all I need.

Frannie: Really? Because I've got more. You know,

(looking around slyly)

if you wanted to interview me sometime. In private?

Dean: (eyeing Sam guiltily across the room)

Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. You're a true patriot, you really are. Why don't you write your number down there for me?

CUT TO: Sam AND THE Manager

Sam: So you never saw the security camera footage yourself, then?

Manager: No. The police, they took all the tapes, first thing.

Dean: (approaching)

Yeah, of course they did.

(he waves Frannie's number at Sam)

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Leaving the jewelry store, Sam and Dean drive down a dark street and pull up in front of a small house.

Sam: Five, this is it.

Dean: Friggin' cops.

Sam: They're just doing their job, Dean.

Dean: No, they're doing our job, only they don't know it, so they suck at it. Talk to me about this bank.

They get out of the car and approach the house.

Sam: Uh, Milwaukee National Trust, it was hit about a month ago.

Dean: Same M.O. as the jewelry store?

Sam: Yep, inside job, longtime employee, the never-in-a-million-years type. Dude robs the bank, then goes home and supposedly commits su1c1de.

Dean: The guy Resnick, he was the security guard on duty?

Sam: Yeah. He was actually beaten unconscious by the teller who heisted the place.

Dean: God.

Sam: Yeah.

(knocking on the screen door)

Mr. Resnick? Ronald Resnick?

A bright floodlight turns on, and they shield their eyes.

Dean: Son of a b-

A youngish man comes to the door warily.

Sam: FBI, Mr. Resnick.

Ronald: Let me see the badge.

Sam and Dean pull out badges and slap them against the screen door in unison. Ronald squints at them carefully.

Ronald: I already gave my statement to the police.

Dean: Yeah, listen Ronald, uh . . . just some things about your statement we wanted to get some clarification on.

Ronald: You read it?

Dean: Sure did.

Ronald: And you want to listen to what I've got to say?

Dean: Well, that's why we're here.

Ronald: Well. Come on in.

Ronald opens the door and leads them through a narrow hallway to a cluttered room; the walls are covered with alien photos and Conspiracy Theory paraphernalia.

Ronald: None of the cops ever called me back. Not after I told them what was really going on. Uh, they all thought I was crazy. First off, Juan Morales never robbed the Milwaukee National Trust, okay? That I guarantee. See, we and Juan were friends, he used to come back to the bank on my night shifts and we'd play cards.

Sam: So you let him into the bank that night, after hours.

Ronald: The thing I let into the bank . . . wasn't Juan. I mean, it had his face, but it wasn't his face. Uh, every detail was perfect, but too perfect, like, you know, like if a dollmaker made it, like I was talking to a big Juan-doll.

Sam: A Juan-doll?

Ronald: Look. This wasn't the only time this happened. Okay?

(handing Sam a file folder)

There was this jewelry store, too. And the cops, and you guys, you just won't see it!

(Sam looks in the folder; it looks like a Hunter's profile of the jewelry case)

Both crimes were pulled by the Same thing.

Sam: What's that, Mr. Resnick?

Ronald picks up a copy of a magazine called "Fortean Times" and holds it to his chest. The headline at the bottom reads "BIRTH OF THE CYBERMEN".

Ronald: Chinese have been working on 'em for years. And the Russians before that. Part men, part machine. Like the Terminator. But the kind that can change itself, make itself look like other people.

Dean: (smirking)

Like the one from T2.

Ronald: Exactly! See, so not just a robot, more of a, uh, a Mandroid.

Sam: A Mandroid?

Dean: And what makes you so sure about this, Ronald?

Ronald holds up a finger, smiling a little wildly.

CUT TO: Ronald inserts a VHS tape labeled "M.N.T. Camera 4 - Juan" into a player.

Ronald: See, I made copies of all the security tapes. I knew once the cops got them they'd be buried. Here.

(he fast-forwards)

Now watch. Watch. Watch him, watch, watch! See, look! There it is!

(he pauses the tape)

You see? He's got the laser eyes.

Close in on the videotape, which shows JUAN, facing the camera, with a light-flare in his eyes (like the shapeshifter from "Skin"). Sam and Dean share a knowing look.

Ronald: Cops said it was some kind of reflected light. Some kind of "camera flare". Okay? Ain't no damn camera flare. They say I'm a post-trauma case. So what? Bank goes and fires me, it don't matter!

(Sam eyes him cautiously as he continues to rant)

The mandroid is, is still out there. The law won't hunt this thing down, I'll do it myself. You see, this thing, it, it kills the real person, makes it look like a su1c1de, then it sorta like, morphs into that person. Cases the job for a while until it knows the take is fat, and then it finds its opening. Now, these robberies, they're, they're grouped together.

(gesturing at a map on the wall)

So I figure the mandroid is holed up somewhere in the middle, underground, maybe. I don't know, maybe that's where it recharges its, uh, mandroid batteries.

Dean nods, apparently impressed. Sam stares intently; they both stand.

Sam: Okay. I want you to listen very carefully. Because I'm about to tell you the God's honest truth about all of this. There's no such thing as Mandroids. There's nothing evil or inhuman going on out there. Just people. Nothing else, you understand?

Dean is mostly keeping a straight face, but is clearly startled. He starts to say something.

Ronald: (desperate) The laser eyes.

Sam: Just a camera flare, Mr. Resnick. Look, I know you don't want to believe this. But your friend Juan robbed the bank and that's it.

Ronald: Get out of my house! Now!

Sam: (calmly) Sure. First things first.

Dean frowns at Sam in further confusion.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Sam and Dean return to their motel room, which has the obligatory Tacky Wall Decorations. They're dressed in ordinary clothing again.

Dean: Man, that has got to be the kicker, straight up. I mean, you tell that poor son of a bitch that, what did you say, remand the tapes that he copied? Classified evidence of an ongoing investigation?

Sam: (sitting down to watch the tape) What are you, pissed at me or something?

Dean: No, I just think it's a little creepy how good of a Fed you are. I mean, come on, we could have at least thrown the guy a bone. He did some pretty good legwork here.

Sam: Mandroid?

Dean: Except for the mandroid part. I liked him. He's not that different from you or me, people think we're crazy.

Sam: Yeah, except he's not a hunter, Dean. He's just a guy who stumbled onto something real. If he were to go up against this thing he'd get torn apart. Better to stay in the dark, and stay alive.

Dean: Yeah, I guess.

Dean places tracing paper over the map and starts marking it with a red pen as Sam pauses the tape on the flaring eyes.

Sam: Shapeshifter. Just like back in St. Louis. Same retinal reaction to video.

Dean: Eyes flare at the camera. I hate those friggin' things.

Sam: You think I don't?

Dean: Yeah, well, one didn't turn into you and frame you for m*rder.

Sam: Well, look. If this shifter's anything like the one we k*lled in Missouri,

Dean: Then Ronald was right. All right, they like to layer up underground, preferably the sewer. And all the robberies have been connected so far, right?

Sam: Yeah.

Dean: With the, uh, sewer main layout. There's one more bank lined up on that Same sewer main.

EXT. BANK - NIGHT

The sign above the door reads: CITY BANK OF

MILWAUKEE

FINANCIAL SERVICES & INVESTMENT

INSIDE: Establishing sh*ts of the bank employees; a security guard leads Sam and Dean, now uniformed as technicians, down the main hall.

Guard: Well, we haven't had any flags go up on our system yet.

Dean: No, this is a glitch in the overall grid, we just want to make sure the branch monitors are kosher.

Guard: Well, better to be safe than sorry, I guess.

Dean: That's the plan.

INT. GUARDROOM - NIGHT

The Guard opens the door to an observation room with several TV screens showing security footage.

Guard: All righty. You guys need anything else?

Sam: Oh, no, no, we'll be, uh, we'll be in and out before you know it, just a routine check.

Guard: Okie-dokie.

Dean: I like him. He says "Okie-dokie."

Sam: What if he's the shifter?

Dean: Well, then we follow him home, put a silver b*llet through his chestplate.

They sit down to watch the screens.

Dean: Okay. Well, you got any popcorn?

LATER - still reviewing the screens; the Guard is on one, and his eyes are normal.

Dean: Well, it looks like mister okie-dokie is . . . okie-dokie.

Sam: Maybe we jumped the g*n on this, Dean. I mean, we don't even know it's here.

Dean: (distracted)

Mm-hmm.

Sam: Maybe we should just go back to the sewers and . . and . . .

Dean is zooming one of the cameras in on the ass of an attractive young woman who is bending over.

Sam: (exasperated)

Dean, we're supposed to be looking for eyes.

Dean: I'm getting there.

Sam: Oh yeah?

Dean: Wait a minute.

On another screen, a middle-aged man turns towards the camera; his eyes flare.

Dean: Hello, freak.

Sam: Got him.

Sam heads for the door, but Dean lingers behind, looking at another screen.

Dean: Sam!

Sam: What?

They watch as Ronald scurries up to the outer door with a chain and a padlock, chaining the door shut.

Dean: Hello Ronald.

INT. MAIN BANK HALL - NIGHT

Ronald runs inside and down the stairs. He has an as*ault r*fle, and he brandishes it and fires once as he gets to the bottom of the stairs.

Ronald: This is not a robbery! Everybody on the floor now!

END ACT ONE

ACT TWO

INT. BANK MAIN HALL

Ronald fires again into the air, and people begin screaming and ducking for cover.

Ronald: Get down, damnit! Come on! On the floor, on the floor! In the middle! On the floor in the middle! In the middle, on the floor, come on! Hurry up, come on!

INT. HALLWAY

Dean and Sam walk down a hallway towards the main hall; a few panicked people brush past them, running the other way.

Dean: And you said we shouldn't bring g*ns.

Sam: I didn't know this was gonna happen, Dean.

Dean: Just let me do the talking. I don't think he likes you very much, Agent Johnson.

INT. BANK MAIN HALL

Ronald: (holding up a key)

Now, there's only one way in or out of here, and I chained it up. So nobody's leaving, do you understand?

Dean: (entering) Hey, buddy. Calm down. Just calm down,

Ronald: What the- You! Get on the floor, now.

Dean: Okay, we're doing that. Just don't sh**t anybody, especially us.

Ronald: I knew it. As soon as you two left. You ain't FBI. Who are you? Who are you working for, huh? The men in black? You working for the mandroid?

Sam: We're not working for the mandroid!

Ronald: You, shut up! I ain't talking to you, I don't like you.

Dean gives Sam an "I told you so" look.

Sam: Fair enough.

Ronald: (to one of the hostages) Get on 'em. Frisk them down, make sure they got no weapons on them. Go!

A middle-aged black man goes over to Sam and Dean and frisks them; he finds a Kn*fe in Dean's boot.

Ronald: Now what have we here?

Dean: (on Sam's look) I'm not just gonna walk in here naked!

Ronald: (taking the Kn*fe) Get back there.

He drops the Kn*fe in the deposit box. It clatters.

Dean: No, no, no, no, no!

(winces)

We know you don't want to hurt anybody. That's exactly what's gonna happen if you keep waving that cannon around, and why don't you let these people go?

Ronald: No! I already told you. If nobody's gonna stop this thing, then I've got to do it myself.

Dean: Hey, we believe you! That's why we're here.

Ronald: You don't believe me. Nobody believes me! How could they?

Dean: Come here.

Ronald: What? No.

Dean: You're holding the g*n, boss, you're calling the sh*ts. I just want to tell you something. Come here.

Ronald approaches cautiously and leans in.

Dean: (quietly) It's the bank manager.

Ronald: What?

Dean: Why do you think we've got these getups, huh? We've been monitoring the cameras in the back. We saw the bank manager, we saw his eyes.

Ronald: His laser eyes?

Dean: Yes. No. No! No, look, we're running out of time, okay? We've got to find him before he changes into someone else.

Ronald: Like I'm gonna listen to you. You're a damn liar.

Dean stands cautiously, hands out.

Ronald: I'll sh**t you! Get down!

Dean: Take me. Okay? Take me with you, take me as a hostage. But we've gotta act fast. Because the longer we just sit here the more time he has to change.

(b*at)

Look at me, man. I believe you. You're not crazy. There really is something inside this bank.

Ronald: All right. You come with me. But everyone else gets in the vault!

EXT. BANK

A POLICEMAN paces outside, then goes around the corner where several police cars are waiting.

Policeman: Come on, move, move!

INT. VAULT ROOM

Ronald ushers the hostages, including Sam, into the vault.

Ronald: Come on, move, move! Move, move!

(to Dean) And you lock it up.

Dean starts moving the heavy door shut.

Dean: It's okay, everyone. Just stay cool.

He shrugs at Sam in apology, then slams the door shut.

INT. VAULT

A young redhead (Sherry) stares after him.

Sherry: Who is that man?

Sam: (worried) He's my brother.

Sherry: He is so brave.

Sam very nearly rolls his eyes.

INT. OFFICE

Ronald precedes Dean into a series of offices; Dean has removed his uniform jacket to reveal a flannel shirt.

Dean: Check behind the desk.

As Dean checks a back room, Ronald falls, yelling. Dean comes back out, eyes darting. Ronald is lying on the floor next to a slimy pile of skin. He screams and stands, pointing his g*n at it.

Ronald: What the hell is that?

Dean: (turning a lamp on the pile) Oh, great.

(pause)

When it changes form it sheds its old skin. So now it could be anybody again.

Ronald: (picking up a piece of skin and smelling it)

It's so, it's so weird. Its robot skin is so lifelike.

Dean: Okay, let's get something straight. It's not a mandroid. It's a shapeshifter.

Ronald: Shapeshifter?

Dean: Yeah. I mean, it's human, more or less. Has human drives, and in this case it's money. But it generates its own skin, it can shape it to match someone else's features, you know, taller, shorter, male,

Ronald: So it, it kills someone and then takes their place.

Dean: Kills them, doesn't k*ll them, I don't think it really matters.

Ronald: What are you doing?

Dean picks up a letter opener from the desk and examines it. He sighs in relief.

Dean: Nice.

(to Ronald) You remember the old werewolf stories? Pretty much came from these guys. Silver's the only thing I've seen that hurts them.

(striding out the door) Come on, Ronald.

Ronald grimaces at the skin, then follows Dean, grinning.

EXT. BANK

A helicopter, a S.W.A.T. police vehicle, and the Channel 8 News van join the scene outside. A red car pulls up, and a middle-aged man in a suit and long coat gets out. He goes into the command van, where several other officers are seated around monitors. A uniformed officer is stirring a cup of coffee.

Detective: How we doing?

Officer: Another day in paradise.

Detective: No one's come out yet?

Officer: This guy locked himself in. First thing he did.

Detective: (Chuckling) All right. Cut the power.

INT. BANK HALLWAY

Ronald is following Dean down a wider hallway, still Chuckling.

Dean: What are you, nuts?

Ronald: That's just it. I'm not nuts. I mean, I was so scared that I was losing my marbles. But this is real! I mean, I, I was right! Except for the mandroid thing. Thank you.

Dean: Yeah, don't mention it.

Suddenly, the power cuts out; a few emergency lights click on.

Dean: Damnit! No, no, no, no, no.

Ronald: What? What is it?

Dean: They cut the power. Probably their way of saying hi.

Ronald: Who?

Dean: The cops.

Ronald: The cops?!

Dean: (stopping) Well, you weren't exactly a smooth criminal about this, Ron. I mean, you didn't even secure the security guard. He probably called them.

Ronald: Well, I, I didn't think to -

Dean: All right, hang on, hang on, let's just take a breath here for a second, all right? They — they've probably got us surrounded. They've cut the power to the cameras so there's no way of telling who the shapeshifter is.

(takes a breath)

It's not looking good, Ron.

Ronald flinches at a noise, bringing the r*fle up.

Dean: Did you hear that?

INT. VAULT

It's now dark in the vault as well, and a few of the hostages are fanning themselves. Sherry is still babbling at Sam; he continues to roll his eyes.

Sherry: Has your brother always been so, um, wonderful? I mean, staring down that g*n. And you know, the way he played right into that psycho's crazy head, telling him what he wanted to hear, I mean,

(Sam stares at her)

He's like, a real hero or, or something.

Sam: Yeah. Yeah.

The door opens to reveal Dean; he now has a handgun.

Sherry: Oh my god, you saved us! You saved us!

Dean: Actually, I just found a few more. Come on, everybody, let's go. Let's go.

Sherry stares in confusion as several more people, including the Guard from earlier, are herded inside.

Sherry: What are you doing?

Dean: Sam, look, uh, Ronald and I need to talk to you.

Sam leaves the vault and Dean shuts the door behind him, shrugging apologetically.

Dean: It's shed its skin again. We don't know when - it could be in the halls, it could be in the vault.

Sam: Great. You know, Dean, you are wanted by the police.

Dean: Yeah.

Sam: So even if we do find this damn thing, how the hell are we gonna get out of here?

Dean: Well, one problem at a time. All right, I'm gonna do a sweep of the whole place, see if we can find any stragglers. Once we get everyone together we've got to play a little game of find-the-freak, so . . . here.

(hands Sam a silver letter opener)

Found another one of these for you. Now stay here, make sure Ronald doesn't hurt anybody, okay? Help him manage the situation.

Sam: Help him manage? Are you insane?

Dean looks past Sam and gives Ronald a grinning thumbs-up.

Dean: (quietly) Look, I know this isn't going the way we wanted,

Sam: (shouting) Understatement!

Dean: But if we invite the cops in right now, Ronald gets arrested, we get arrested, the shifter gets away, probably never find it again, okay?

Ronald is peering out the window, in plain view, and Sam gestures at him in exasperation.

Dean: Ron! Out of the light!

Sam: Seriously?!

Dean: Yeah, Ron's game plan was a bad plan, I mean, it was a bit of a crazy plan, but right now crazy's the only game in town, okay?

Dean slaps Sam on the shoulder and leaves. Sam sighs, leans back, and rolls his eyes at Ronald.

Sam: Hi, Ronald.

INT. HALLWAY

Dean creeps along the dark hallways with a flashlight, listening for sounds and watching for movement.

INT. VAULT

The hostages are fanning themselves again, and Sherry looks angry. The Guard begins clutching his chest and breathing hard.

Sam: I'm going to leave this open. Give you guys some fresh air, all right? But no one leaves this vault.

The phone rings, and Ronald spins around, panicked.

Sherry: I don't understand, why are you helping him?

Sam: You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Ronald: (picking up the phone) Hello?

Guard: (pained) I think I gotta get out of here!

Sam: Look, I'm very sorry, but you're just going to have to stay put, all right?

Ronald: What? What do you mean, demands?

Sam: Ronald! Hang up!

Ronald: No, I, I'm not a bank robber, I,

Guard: I've got to really get out of here.

Sam: Sir, you can't leave!

Ronald: Kind of a crime fighter, I guess.

Sam: Ronald!

The Guard is struggling to the door; several other hostages including a well-built middle-aged Man, help him.

Sam: (to the hostages) Look —

Ronald: No, I'm acting alone.

Sam sighs and goes over to the phone, slamming it to hang up.

Sam: Ronald? The less the cops know, the better.

Man: Hey! I think this dude's having a heart att*ck!

Woman: Get a Doctor!

Sam: Great. Could be our guy. Could be a trick.

Man: You just going to let the man die?

Sam: No one's dying in here.

(to Ronald) Cover the door.

Sam snatches the phone.

INT. HALLWAY

Dean continues hunting things.

INT. COMMAND CENTER

The plainclothes Detective is on the phone with Sam; the officer is in the foreground, listening.

Detective: Can you tell me how many hostages this guy's taken?

INT. VAULT ROOM

Sam: Look, one of the people could be having heart trouble, you need to send in a paramedic.

INT. COMMAND CENTER

Detective: Just stay calm, we'll have you folks out of there,

INT. VAULT ROOM

Sam: (shouting) Just send in a paramedic, okay? And don't try anything else. Please.

Man: Paramedic? We don't have time for that, man!

Ronald: Listen, I, I'm sorry, okay? I am. But nobody's getting out.

Man: He's dying right in front of you.

Guard: Help!

INT. HALLWAY

Dean stops and looks up, seeing a ceiling panel askew. He picks up a coat rack and begins poking it. He dislodges it and a naked body falls to the floor. He turns it over; it is the Man who has been helping the Guard.

INT. VAULT ROOM

The Man (Shapeshifter) is still holding up the Guard, who is panicked and breathing painfully.

Shapeshifter: Come on, man, you've got to open up the door. We've got to get him out of here.

Ronald: (cocking the r*fle)

Both of you stay where you are.

Dean returns and whispers, inaudible, to Sam. The Shapeshifter watches them warily.

Sam: (going into the vault) You know, Ronald? He's right, we've got to get this man outside. Come on. I've got you.

He takes the Guard from the Shapeshifter

Shapeshifter: I'll help you.

Sam: Oh, I got him, it's cool. Thanks.

Sam gets the Guard out of the way; Dean glares at the Shapeshifter and approaches the vault.

Dean: Hey, can I talk to you for a second?

Shapeshifter: (coming out) You got the g*n, man. I mean, whatever.

As he gets close enough, he att*cks Dean, knocking him to the ground and running into the dark of the hallways. Dean gets up and chases after him.

Ronald: Stop! Come back here!

Ronald races after them both, which puts him in the open again. Sam sees a laser sight on his back; in slow-motion and silence, Sam shouts at him.

Sam: (inaudible) Get down! Now!

The sn*per fires, hitting Ronald squarely in the chest. As he falls, Dean ducks behind a low wall, and Sam watches in horror. Ronald slumps to his knees, then to the floor. He is dead.

END ACT TWO

ACT THREE

EXT. BANK

Establishing sh*t — the scene is much like (and apparently up to the time of) the Teaser, complete with handheld camera sh*ts.

INT. VAULT ROOM

The hostages run out of the vault as Dean crawls behind another low wall nearer where Ronald fell. Sam ducks down beside him, both panting. Sam pulls out the key and hands it to Dean.

Sam: Here. Take care of the guard. I'm going after the 'shifter.

He runs off, and Dean crawls over towards Ronald.

Dean: Sorry, Ron. You did a real good job tracking this thing, you really did.

He takes the r*fle and, looking around furtively, runs off towards the Guard.

INT. HALLWAY

Sam approaches a broom closet and opens it suddenly; it's empty. He hears something behind him and turns. Sherry screams; she and the other hostages have gathered, trying to escape.

Sherry: Please don't hurt us!

Sam: You shouldn't be back here right now! You're in danger, now go back to the vault! Now!

They run back.

EXT. BANK

Holding the Guard in front of him and the r*fle in his other hand, Dean approaches the front door slowly. Outside, several paramedics pull a stretcher out of an ambulance.

Dean: Everything's going to be all right.

Guard: No, don't sh**t! Don't sh**t! Please!

Dean: No, no, no, no, no! Don't even think about it!

Guard: Please! Don't sh**t!

Dean: Son of a-

(shouting) I said get back! Now!

INT. COMMAND CENTER

Officer: One of the hostages. He seems to have taken over the situation.

Detective: Excuse me?

EXT. BANK

Dean: Okay, go, go!

The Guard stumbles out as Dean draws back inside, shutting the door and latching it.

Dean: (muttering) We are so screwed.

ELSEWHERE: Sam has found another shed skin. He calls Dean.

Dean: (picking up his cell)

Yeah?

Sam: Slipped his skin.

Dean: What?

Sam: Yeah, bastard shifts fast. A lot faster than the one in St. Louis.

Dean: God, it's like playing the shell game. It could be anybody. Again.

Sam: Yeah, I think most of the employees are out of the vault by now.

Dean: All right, you search every inch of this place, I'm gonna go round everybody up.

EXT. BANK

A black sedan and several black trucks pull onto the scene.

INT. COMMAND CENTER

Officer: Crap.

Detective: What?

Officer: The feds are here.

Detective: Oh, crap.

A mousy, bespectacled man in an FBI jacket enters and stares at them; then a tall, commanding, shaven-headed black man pushes past.

Agent: Lieutenant Robards.

Detective (Robards): Yeah.

Agent: Special Agent Henriksen.

Robards: Let me guess. You're lead dog now, but you would just love my full cooperation.

Henriksen: I don't give a rats ass what you do, you can go get a donut and bang your wife for all I care. What I do need is your S.W.A.T. team locked and loaded.

Robards: Listen, Agent. Something's not right about this. It's, uh, it's not going down like a usual heist.

Henriksen: That's because it isn't one. You have no idea what you're dealing with, do you? There is a monster in that bank, Robards.

INT. HALLWAY

Sam continues hunting things.

INT. VAULT ROOM

Dean herds the hostages back into the vault.

Sherry: And I thought you were one of the good guys.

Dean: What's your name?

Sherry: Why would you care?

Dean: My name's Dean.

Sherry: I'm Sherry.

Dean: Hi, Sherry. Everything's going to be all right. This will all be over soon.

Dean shuts the vault door and spins the lock as the landline rings. He sets down his handgun and answers it.

Henriksen: (on the phone, in the command center)

This is Special Agent Victor Henriksen.

Dean: Yeah, listen, I'm not really in the negotiating mood right now.

Henriksen: Good. Me neither. It's my job to bring you in; alive's a bonus but not necessary.

Dean: Whoa. Kinda harsh for a Federal Agent, don't you think?

Henriksen: Well, you're not the typical suspect, are you, Dean?

(Dean looks horrified)

I want you and Sam out here, unarmed. Or we come in. And yes, I know about Sam. Bonnie to your Clyde.

Dean: Yeah, well, that part's true, but how'd you even know we were here?

Henriksen: Go screw yourself, that's how I knew. It's become my job to know about you, Dean. I've been looking for you for weeks now. I know about the m*rder in St. Louis, I know about the Houdini act you pulled in Baltimore. I know about the desecrations and the thefts. I know about your dad.

Dean: (darkly) Hey, you don't know crap about my dad.

Henriksen: Ex-marine, raised his kids on the road, cheap motels, backwoods cabins. Real paramilitary survivalist type. I just can't get a handle on what type of whacko he was. White supremacist, Timmy McVeigh, to-may-to, to-mah-to.

Dean: You got no right talking about my dad like that. He was a hero.

Henriksen: Yeah. Right. Sure sounds like it. You have one hour to make a decision or we come through those doors full a*t*matic.

Dean pounds his forehead in frustration as he hangs up the phone.

INT. COMMAND CENTER

Henriksen: Scramble your men, five minutes, then we go in.

Robards: What? Henriksen, they've let out one hostage so far. They've hurt no one as far as we can tell.

Henriksen: You don't know these Winchesters. They're dangerous, smart, and expertly trained.

Robards: We can't risk the lives of all those people

Henriksen: Trust me, Dean's a greater risk to them than we are.

Robards: This is crazy.

Henriksen: Crazy's in there. And I just hung up on it.

END ACT THREE

ACT FOUR

INT. HALLWAY

Sam sees blood on the floor in front of a closet; he opens it quickly, and the half-dressed body of Sherry falls out. Her throat is slit.

Sam: Damnit.

INT. VAULT ROOM

Sam returns to the vault room, where Dean is waiting; the vault is shut.

Dean: Hey. We've got a bit of a problem outside.

Sam: We've got a problem in here.

They open the vault; the hostages flinch and look around.

Dean: Sherry? We're going to let you go.

Sherry: What? Why me?

Dean: Uh, as a show of good faith to the feds, come on.

Sherry: Uh, I think I'd, I'd rather stay here, with the others.

Dean: (approaching) I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist.

She looks at them warily; Sam is fingering the silver blade.

INT. HALLWAY

Sam and Dean push Sherry back to the hallway.

Sherry: I thought you were letting me go.

Dean shoves her forward, holding her head and forcing her to look at the body. She begins screaming hysterically.

Dean: Is that community theater, or are you just naturally that good?

Sam: This is the last time you become anybody. Ever.

Sherry: Oh god! Oh.

She faints.

Dean and Sam stare at her, baffled, then back at the other body. Dean removes r*fle from his shoulder and kneels over dressed!Sherry. He raises the blade with a shrug, but Sam puts out a hand to stop him.

Sam: Dean, wait, wait, wait. What's the advantage of this plan? I mean, fainting now wouldn't help it survive.

Dean: (looking back at the other body) Huh.

Dean kneels over the other body, then looks up, distracted by a noise. The body opens its eyes; it is the Shapeshifter. It lashes out and grabs Dean by the throat. As he struggles, stabbing at it, Sherry wakes up. She screams again; Sam goes over to her, gathering her in his arms. The Shapeshifter knees Dean in the chin and bolts.

ELSEWHERE, the S.W.A.T. team creeps through broken glass and into the bank. Dean ducks around a corner to avoid one.

In another hallway, they find Sherry, who backs against the wall, terrified.

Sherry: Don't sh**t Don't sh**t! I work here! Get me out, get me out of here.

Several of them guide her out; two others continue down the hallway. They see Sam, who stops.

Man: Freeze! Let me see your hands.

INT. BOILER ROOM

Dean hunts. He turns and gets slammed in the face by the SHIFTER's hand; he goes down.

INT. HALLWAY

Sam turns abruptly and takes out the two armored policemen singlehandedly.

INT. BOILER ROOM

Dean recovers, settles into a fighting stance. He swipes at it, and it avoids the att*ck, retaliating. They tussle; he gets in two good head-butts. He slashes at her again; she grabs his wrist and wrenches it up, and he grasps her forearm; her skin slips off stickily.

Dean: Gross.

She kicks him hard between the legs, then several times in the face. He grabs her leg and wrenches it back, shoving her against the wall. They struggle like that for a moment before he manages to ram the silver blade into her chest. He hears a sound and flinches, then turns and kneels in front of her.

A uniformed man enters the room and stops; we can only see his boots. Dean looks back, panting.

END ACT FOUR

ACT FIVE

INT. HALLWAY

Preceded by several officers, Henriksen enters the building, g*n out. He strides down the main hallway; they find the body of the first Man.

Officer: Male, African American. Goner.

INT. BOILER ROOM

Another officer is kneeling in front of the Shapeshifter's body.

Officer: I'm telling you, man. I just walked her out of the bank. She must have a twin sister or something.

INT. HALLWAY

Officer: (coming up behind Henriksen)

Sir? My team said it's secure. They're gone.

Henriksen: You tell your team to tear it apart. The ducts, the ceilings, the furnace, everything.

Officer: I don't think that's necessary.

Henriksen: Why not?

The Officer takes Henriksen to a broom closet, where two men are stripped to their underwear and handcuffed back-to-back on the floor.

EXT. BANK - MORNING

As the Styx song Renegade* plays, two men in S.W.A.T. armor run out of the bank and through a leveled parking lot. They approach a car and get in; it is the Impala, and the two men are Dean and Sam. They get in and pull off their helmets and hats, panting heavily.

Dean: We are so screwed.

They pull out of the parking lot and out of town.

END

transcript by gelasius 01/26/07