01x01 - Non Est Asylum

[bunniefuu]

(bird cawing)

(monitor beeping rhythmically)

Make 'em nice and tight, luv.

(breathing deeply)

(grunting)

Believe it or not, I came here voluntarily.

My name is John Constantine... (groaning) and I'm an exorcist.

In my line of work, there are days you just need to forget... but some you never will.

Man: You witnessed the m*rder of a girl.

Talking can help you realize that it wasn't your fault.

That would be a neat trick. Let's get to that part.

You can start by telling me what happened that night at Newcastle.

Do you remember the k*ller?

See that demon every time I close my eyes.

By "demon" you-you mean "m*rder*r"?

Oh, by "demon" I mean a bloody demon.

A foul creature.

Smelled like a slaughterhouse.

You see what's happening, John?

You feel guilty for being unable to protect the girl, so you turned her k*ller into the embodiment of evil.

We're all powerless against demons.

Not all of us, chief.

That's right.

Before you checked yourself in here three months ago, you were working as an "exorcist",

"demonologist, and master of the dark arts"?

That says "master," does it?

Well, I should really change that to "petty dabbler."

I hate to put on airs.

In any case, you wouldn't have been able to prevent the girl's death.

Astra!

Her name... was Astra.

And I can handle her death.

It's her damnation that's eating me alive.

Dragged to hell...

John, it's time to face the truth.

Nine years old, and suffering for all eternity.

The only one suffering here is you.

That's on me, mate.

There are no demons.

So you keep telling me!

Now make me believe.

It's what I'm paying you for, isn't it?

Man: My goal today was to break my habit rituals.

Like, I make a cup of tea and then I stir it nine times.

And then I've got nine minutes to drink it in.

So it's nine sips in nine minutes.

Everything in multiples of nine.

Keeps bad things away, you know?

Well, today... today...

I let my rituals go and nothing terrible happened.

And I've only stirred it once.

(cockroaches scurrying)

(sobbing)

Uh, Miss... whatever you're painting, there, you might want to stop now.

Miss?

No.

No. No, no, no, no, no.

This is not my problem.

Oh, bollocks.

I'm addressing the entity inside.

Who are you? Tell me your name.

Hear my words!

(woman screaming)

In the name of the Creator, you are hereby commanded to leave this place!

By the blood of man, be not, and be gone!

(gasping, choking)

(snarls)

Ab insídiis diáboli!

Líbera nos, Dómine!

(woman screams)

(glass tinkling)

(grunts)

(exhales)

(gasping)

Oh, oh.

Don't worry, luv. It's just paint.

What... What happened?

A spirit took your body for a spin.

What?

To send me a message, by the look of it.

(woman sobs)

Woman: What's it mean?

It means I've been wasting my time here.

I've got work to do.

She did it.

Who has a brighter future?

Me?

Or the opera lady in the food court?

Opera lady.

What?

No college loans to pay off.

Pass me a fortune cookie?

(laughs)

"Failure is the opportunity to do better next time."

In bed.

Huh?

You always add "in bed" to the end.

Really?

Uh-huh.

Let's read yours.

Okay.

Great.

I have no future.

Aw...

Here you go. One for the road.

Thanks.

Uh-huh. See you in the morning.

Don't forget to lock up.

Good night, Liv.

See you later. Night.

(engine revs)

(alert chiming)

(chiming stops)

(engine revs)

(alert chiming)

(chiming stops)

(engine revs)

Oh, my God!

(engine revs)

(button clicking)

(rumbling, crackling)

(Liv screams)

Whoa!

(gasping)

No, no.

(car alarm whooping)

(screams)

(gasps)

(engine revs, tires screech)

(screams)

Well, hello. What have we here?

Are you in a bit of trouble, luv?

(whimpering)

Stay back!

My name is John Constantine.

You're pointing that the wrong way.

I promise you, I'm not the one that's hunting you.

What are you talking about? Who's hunting me?

It's probably more of a "what," or possibly an "it."

Stay away!

S... Back away, stop.

(chuckles)

Stay away.

It's easier to deny danger than to face it, but make no mistake, if you don't listen to me, you'll be dead by morning.

I'm calling the police.

If you're so committed to contacting the authorities, then here's where they can reach me.

Or you can.

If you enjoy breathing.

"Master of the dark arts"?

I'm getting new ones made.

(whooshing)

Whoever you are, I'm a nasty piece of work!

Ask anybody!

(whooshing, rumbling)

You shouldn't be down here.

I could say the same about you.

You come to admire your handiwork?

This wasn't my doing.

What brings you back to the streets, John?

A young lady, of course.

I was asked to protect her by an old friend.

Dead friend, more likely.

Well, he did have to possess a body, but he got my attention.

Who are you?

You can call me Manny.

I was asked to watch over you.

"Watch over"?

No offense, squire, I'm not in the habit of slumming it with angels.

You'll m*rder my reputation.

So will a mental hospital.

Yeah? Well, I checked out.

I'm all better.

You hear that?

I'm okay!

So flap off.

You're not okay, John.

You damned a girl to hell and along with her, your soul.

Now, I can't change your fate, but I can ease your suffering.

Go feed off someone else's loss.

But yours is exquisite.

Oh, don't worry about me, mate.

I can handle a demon att*ck.

I wouldn't be so sure.

You've been out of play a while.

There's a lot of panic down here.

People can sense what's on the way.

What's on the way?

(sirens approaching)

We should go.

(whooshing)

Wait!

What's on the way?!

You're a lifesaver.

It was no problem.

I work five minutes away from you.

Thanks, Talia.

I really appreciate the ride.

I'm just glad you got away from that freak.

(buzzer sounds)

He sounded kind of rapey.

Yeah, he creeped me out.

You sure you're okay?

I'm all right, thank you.

Sleep well.

You, too.

Good night.

(door closes)

(door closes, lock clicking)

(crackling)

(sighs)

(electrical crackling)

(papers rustling)

(sighs)

(loud pop, Talia gasps)

(helicopter blades whirring)

(gasps)

(indistinct radio transmission)

Detective: Stay in your apartment, ma'am.

What's going on?

This is an active crime scene.

Oh, my God.

Talia, oh, my God.

Talia.

(indistinct radio transmission)

(banging)

(turns off radio)

(banging)

What the hell?

(banging continues)

(cries out)

Hold on! Hold on!

Hold tight; I'm gonna get you out of there.

(movement stops)

(panting)

(screaming)

(banging) (screaming continues)

(screaming stops)

Liv: Thanks for the ride.

You always carpool with the cops?

My friend was k*lled last night.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

I found it on my door; what is it?

The Eye of Horus.

It's an Egyptian symbol of protection.

Or so they say.

There was a man in my hallway last night.

I think he k*lled Talia.

(thumps on car)

Liv, meet Chas, my oldest mate.

He made the carving that kept you alive.

I'm glad you're safe.

He's not much of a talker, that one.

Now, down to business.

If we don't get you somewhere safe, bodies will just keep piling up.

Why would anybody want me dead?

I'm a nobody.

I hate to burst your bubble, luv, but you're not a nobody.

I knew your father.

Jasper Winters.

I promised him I'd look after you.

That's not possible.

My father d*ed before I was born.

Well, whoever told you that was lying.

Jasper d*ed just last year.

He was a good man, too.

Here.

(sighs) Open this.

It belonged to him.

He wanted you to have it.

(people shouting)

Woman: Is everybody okay?

Everybody out! Chas, get them out.

Come on!

That thing could blow.

Get out of here.

That's my desk.

I should've been sitting here.

Whatever's after you must be able to track you, feel your energy.

It won't give up until you're dead.

(low growling)

Oh, my God.

Talia.

She's alive.

No, she's not.

Something's using her.

This is all wrong... they never operate in the open like this.

(snarls)

Who are you?

Who sent you?

(roars)

(crackling)

Liv?

Gone.

Brilliant.

(loud popping)

Liv: Mom, look me in the eye and tell me again, when did my dad die?

I'm not prepared to have this conversation.

You denied me a father my entire life. I don't care what you want to talk about right now.

Who was he?

He was just some boy that I met at a concert, and he had no interest in seeing you after you were born.

And Lord knows your nana, rest her soul, she didn't encourage it.

A friend of his tracked me down.

Well, I don't see how. Jasper didn't even know where we live.

The man I met said this belonged to him.

Have you ever seen it?

Liv?

What is it?

Nana.

(howling)

(gasps)

Liv.

Honey, what's wrong? Liv!

(tires screeching)

What is happening to me?!

You're waking up. You're seeing the world for what it really is.

Just like your father could.

Which means what?!

(sighs) Impatience.

The psychic disease of the 21st century.

Where's the pendant?

Look around.

What are they?

Souls. Trapped.

Searching for a way out.

Can you see them?

No.

What else do you see?

(horn blowing)

There's a train coming.

Is there?

Look, what are you doing?

There's a train coming.

Let go of me. Let go.

What are you doing?! There's a train coming!

We have to get off the tracks!

Let go!

Let go of me!

(chuckles)

(exhales)

What just happened?

Ghost train.

How come I can see these things?

It appears you have your father's gift.

When you touch his necklace, it focuses your ability to see what he saw.

There are worlds beyond ours.

Parallel planes of existence.

Jasper tried to teach me, but, uh, I didn't have his knack.

So you were close.

We can talk later. Right now we're prey.

Leave your car at your mum's. You're coming with us.

(over radio): ♪ And it burns, burns, burns ♪
♪ That ring of fire ♪
♪ That ring of fire... ♪
♪ And it burns ♪

John was going to tell me about Jasper.

I want to know how he d*ed.

Bravely.

You were there?

That's enough of that.

Liv: I was just thinking that whatever's after me, maybe it wants revenge for something my father did.

I'm not concerned with the why.

I just want to send it packing, square my debt with your dad and be done.

(loudly): ♪ I fell ♪
♪ Into a burning ring of fire ♪

Turn it down.

I can't.

♪ I went down, down, down ♪
♪ And the flames went higher ♪

-♪ And it burns, burns ♪

Chas!

(horn honks)

♪ That ring of fire ♪
♪ That ring of fire ♪

(echoes): John? John?

Astra?

It's following me.

Make it go away.

Please.

(gasping)

Come here. I've got you.

(crying) You can't have her!

(deep distorted voice): You can't save her.

You can't have her!

You can't have her!

John, get me out of here!

(screaming)

Liv: John, get us out of here!

(panting)

Help us!

(Liv grunts)

(grunts)

(crackling)

John, help us!

My foot's jammed under!

Do something!

Please!

All right, keep your hair on.

Oh... Okay.

(loud popping)

(grunting)

(Liv grunting)

The sacred cross commands you.

The Star of David commands you.

The Omkar, the Lotus, the Shahada command you.

Flee this place.

Flee this place!

Disperges in ventum!

Be not and be gone!

I think I got it.

Get her out of there, Chas!

Yeah.

The Omkar, the Lotus, the Shahada command you.

The Omkar, the Lotus, the Shahada command you.

The Omkar, the Lotus, the Shahada command you.

John, here.

(shouts) - Go!

Chas, look out!

No! No!

No.

(grunting)

There are millions of demons.

We need to figure out which one of them has you marked for death.

Don't worry, we'll be safe here.

Are you kidding?

After what just happened to Chas?

Things aren't always what they appear to be, luv.

You want to make it out of this alive, you need to understand that.

I don't understand half of what you're saying.

Do you ever say anything clearly?

This house belonged to your father.

If this day ever came, I promised him that I would put these keys in your hands.

Is that clear enough for you?

(door creaks)

Jasper stayed here now and then to watch over you.

But he had to keep his distance for your safety naturally.

There's nothing natural about this.

This is insane!

You could survive an apocalypse down here.

Yeah, or start one.

Jasper used this place for divination.

No one could find trouble faster than your father.

Literally.

Oh, I'd put that down, luv, before it puts you down.

Liv: This looks like a map of Atlanta.

What's with these locations?

Illusion Falls?

Jasper taught himself cartography.

Started drawing his own maps based on what he saw.

You said that he could find trouble?

It's called scrying.

Hold your pendant over a map, you'll see.

Ah! Here it is.

I found the demon that's haunting you.

It goes by the name of Furcifer.

That bloody angel was right.

The stakes are rising.

What angel?

Keep your eyes on the map.

Furcifer draws its strength from electricity.

It can manifest lightning and tempests.

That's how it could control the power lines and the dead bodies.

Ow! Ow!

Uh, ho-hold it!

Let the blood drop.

(sighs)

Oh, my God, what is that?!

What you asked for.

Trouble.

Edgewood Avenue. So, what?

Like, something bad's happening here?

Will happen.

We have to do something.

We are, all right?

We're keeping you alive.

See, I have an idea to cut your attacker down to size, but... it means using you as bait.

(brakes squeak)

Can I help you, sir?

(sighs)

You know, it's a fine line between watching over and stalking.

I was right, wasn't I?

It's heating up down here.

Can you open the gate, please?

I've got time pressures.

Well... this is new.

(water flowing)

Hmm. (laughs)

Did you find out what's hunting the girl?

A demon from the inner circle.

Really? You know, a thing like that can't make its way here without serious help.

It feels to me like you want me to find out some information for you.

I do.

Why?

If you figure out what we're up against, I will use that knowledge to save lives.

And what about my life, eh?!

You and yours damned me to hell.

So... why should I risk my last days on earth?

Why, indeed.

You're a sideshow attraction.

(laughs)

A peddler of shabby magic.

Hang on a minute, now, sunshine.

Your decisions are questionable at best, and without conscience.

Why should you risk what time you have left?!

Because you are damned to hell.

(rolling thunder)

At least for the moment, anyway.

Are you suggesting that it's not too late for me to save my soul?

Are you all right, sir?

No.

Not even slightly.

(knocking)

Hello, Ritchie.

Long time, eh?

You get yourself out of my office right now!

Go on, get out!

Is that any way to greet a mate?

All right, you know what? Never mind. Never mind. You...

You can stay. You can stay. I'll get out.

You still trolling the Internet for things that go bump in the night?

A celestial type said something big's on its way.

(low, rumbling thunder)

If I tell you, will you leave?

All right, all right. Yes.

Yes, I have been data-mining a whole lot of unexplained phenomenon... police reports, chat rooms, news wires... and I can... (laughs)

I can guarantee you, things... things are crawling out of the shadows on a scale we've never seen before, John.

That includes a demon from the inner circle that's terrorizing Jasper's daughter.

I need your help, old son.

Can you hack a power grid?

Can I hack a power...

Why, yes, I can do that.

And I believe I'll take a pass on that.

I know that Newcastle was a bodge job.

Newcastle was a nightmare, John! It was a nightmare!

Everything that happened to that girl.

And you know what?

Now, I can't even make it through one day without oxy to dull the pain, diazepam to make me sleep, and I will only get out of bed for my now dangerously good friend dextroamphetamine.

We all learned our lessons, Ritchie.

Hmm. You know, the coppers in Newcastle are still searching for the man that m*rder*d Astra.

You know it wasn't a man.

But they don't know that, do they?

Oh, it would be a real shame if someone tipped them off you were there.

Not like you really have an alibi for that night.

(chuckles)

You know, I... wish it would have been you, John.

No, really.

I really wish Nergal had just gone in and taken you instead.

That makes the two of us, mate.

(sighs)

(gasps)

(gasping)

(gasps)

You hungry? I brought groceries.

I saw a man in the mirror over the fireplace.

Is that...?

Jasper? Sounds like him.

Is that his... ghost?

No. Time's out of joint in that mirror.

You were watching the past. You'll find lots of dodgy business like that in this place. Here.

I grabbed some clothes for you.

Well, how did you get into my apartment?

Liv?

(screams) - It's okay, it's okay.

I'm... I'm all right. Sorry to startle you.

But you're...

You... you d*ed.

Not exactly. It's complicated.

Constantine: There's a reason Chas is my oldest friend.

He has survival skills.

No, no, nobody can survive what I saw.

Excellent.

If you're not confused, you're not paying attention.

Now, time for your famous rack of lamb.

One should never battle demons on an empty stomach.

Liv: Wait. We're going after that thing tonight?

Live in the now, I always say.

Constantine: Three hundred,

400, $500.

Just to have sex on a rooftop?

Come on, let's go.

She's on fire tonight.

Ah. There's one more vital detail.

There's an extra hundred in it for you, if you keep this by your side.

If it glows, you call me immediately.

It's not screwed into anything.

Neither am I, mate.

Liv: What is it?

A demon seal.

Did you get it off the Internet?

(fake laughs)

No. This one's a proprietary design.

Triangle of Solomon with some Elder Runes and Enochian script.

When Furcifer comes for you, it'll have to enter the circle, the seal will hold it, and then, I can order it to hell.

Well, that should do it.

It's time.

You need to enter the circle.

(tune plays on phone)

(distorted sounds on phone)

No! No!

It's my high score!

(electrical crackling)

Where do you come from, John?

The sordid passions of my parents.

You do that a lot, you know.

Oh, what's that?

Deflect emotions with humor.

Do I?

Come on, John.

I'm trusting you with my life here.

The least you can do is to share one small personal detail.

My mom d*ed giving birth to me.

Or one big detail.

My dad said it was my fault.

He had a nickname for me.

I heard it every night.

"Hey there, k*ller."

And after a night in the pub, which was every night, he'd, uh, punch my head and say,

"That's for what you did to your mother, k*ller."

Do you sometimes wonder what your mom was like?

There's no point wondering.

I'm going to find her.

When I was a teenager, I started reading every book I could find on the occult.

I taught myself spells, rituals, curses.

I learned to conjure all kinds of dead things.

Just not her.

Not yet.

(quietly): Not yet.

(crackling)

Get ready.

(door opens)

Constantine: I told you to call my cell phone.

Liv: You really don't want to be up here.

Oh, yes, he does.

That's not the guard.

(thunder crashing)

Steady, Liv.

You k*lled that nice gentleman.

I should've seen that one coming.

Oh, do you want her, chief?

Come and get her.

Furcifer de hoc mundo exisse.

In nomine Dei iuberis.

(growls)

De hoc mundo exisse in nomine Dei iuberis.

(demon groaning)

Nergal said your rituals lack the power of intention.

How does it feel, Constantine, to lock eyes with your future?

It's a bit unsettling, to be honest, mate.

It's not my best look.

It's only a matter of time before you belong to us.

Hell must be short on souls if you're bothering with a sorry one like mine.

On the contrary, we rely on you to provide us with a fresh supply.

Everyone who stands at your side dies.

And tonight... it's your turn.

Liv! Run!

(grunts) John!

Your arrogance brought me to the heart of a city at night.

(rumbling, crackling)

In this place, I'm God!

(exhales) I almost forgot.

(sighs) I hope this works, John.

(beeping)

(thunder rumbling)

What's this?

The power of intention.

(grunting)

(coughing)

(exhales)

(Astra screaming)

John, is that you?

(gasps)

John.

Astra.

(crying): Please get me out of here.

Demon John: Do you hear her, John?

The girl's in pain.

(crying)

Are you really gonna fail her again?

Like you failed so many others.

Release me, and her soul is free.

I'm sorry.

(shuddering breaths)

Audite me, libera daemonium...

(Constantine continues)

Stop, John! It's not Astra.

It's not her!

Oh, you think you can mess with my life?!

(snarls)

Well, I got news for you, mate!

I'm coming for Astra.

And then I'm coming for Nergal!

And you can pass that along!

In hell!

(snarls)

Per júdicem vivórum et mortuórum!

Sed enim mundi Creator.

John!

Qui habet potestatem mittere in infernum!

Ut abire

(screaming)

ex regno protinus!

(thunder crashes)

(panting)

Are you okay?

I have a colleague down there. He'll drive you home.

Go.

Liv: Who's Astra?

She was the daughter of a friend of ours in Newcastle, England.

A demon possessed her.

John went ahead on his own, and he decided to conjure up a more powerful demon.

Nergal.

He said he was just gonna... order it to drag the lesser demon away.

But it took Astra instead?

Yeah. After tearing her apart right in front of us.

If I were you, I'd just stay away from him, Liv. John's dangerous.

Liv: Hey, this is Edgewood Avenue.

John taught me to scry today and that street came up on the map.

Stop. Stop the car.

(indistinct chatter)

(woman sobbing)

Let go! Let go of me!

Why?!

Who did this?! Who did this?!

What kind of monster would do this to a boy?!

(sobbing)

Constantine: No, you're off your head. You'd probably say the Supremes or something. I can understand what you mean with... Oh, Chas, just in time to settle a bet. The most influential band.

Barkeep here reckons the Ramones for the music, which is... well, it's fair enough, but the Pistols, come on, man, the Pistols, they were dangerous.

Liv stopped by the mill house to get her bags. Said something about a cousin in California.

She's isn't coming back, John.

(sighing): Hmm.

Guess we're not all cut from the same cloth.

Is she safe out there?

She will be.

With Furcifer gone, I can put a cloaking spell on her.

Yeah. Before she left, Liv spent an hour in the map room scrying like you taught her. Look.

It's happening everywhere.

She wants you to keep fighting.

She sounded a lot like her father when she said it, too.

Did she now? Hmm.

Maybe you'll never forgive yourself for what happened to Astra, but if you want to give her loss some meaning, then do something about it.

(grunts)

Cheers.

Interesting coincidence. Ritchie had to drive 20 blocks out of the way to pass Edgewood Avenue and stumble onto that crime scene.

Mm. He made me pay for gas.

You scared her away.

(clicks tongue) Kind of the point, mate.

I work better alone.

You fail to grasp the stakes here, John.

Liv's power is valuable.

So is her life.

If Liv was gonna join our fight, she had the right to see the risks for herself.

All I did was... Give her a choice.

Which is more than Astra ever had.

You said "our" fight.

That mean you're going to help us?

Well, that's what you wanted, isn't it?

(chuckles)

And you call me a con man.

Pick up the tab, will you?

You bastards are gonna owe me.

Constantine: My name is John Constantine.

I am the one who steps from the shadows, all trench coat and arrogance.

I'll drive your demons away, kick 'em in the bollocks and spit on them when they're down, leaving only a nod and a wink and a wisecrack.

I walk my path alone because, let's be honest...

(men shouting)

who would be crazy enough to walk it with me?