DARK KNIGHT: THE SECOND CHAPTER

*****

LaCroix: I thought we might talk over a midnight snack.

Nick: Where is it, LaCroix?
LaCroix: Is that any kind of hello? So long, and I moved here especially for you. I guess it could be a little more appetizing. (Pulls out the jade cup.) You look pale. You sure you're not hungry?
Nick: All I want is the cup.
LaCroix: I don't think you know what you want. You never have. Immortality. Wasn't that your big wish? To live forever? To never have to wind up like this? (Slaps the pig carcass.) I gave that to you. What did I get in return? Desertion, hatred, contempt....
Nick: I couldn't kill anymore.
LaCroix: Who needs to kill?
Nick: You do.
LaCroix: The guard, yes, but not those pathetic others.
Nick: You're lying, LaCroix.
LaCroix: Why would I lie? Give me a reason. I've never been ashamed of killing.
Nick: They were my friends.
LaCroix: And what are we? We need to trust each other. We should trust each other. How long is the longest friendship?
Nick: I want the cup.
LaCroix: Then come and get it.

LaCroix: Is this what you want to be? A pathetic mortal, cowering on the ground. Taste the blood on your face. Taste it. You can't deny what you are.... You're never going to get the scoop. You don't have the courage. No guts, no glory. What's it going to take to get a rise out of you! (That works, and Alyce screams when Nick changes.)
Nick: Alyce, get out of here!
LaCroix: Is this someone I should meet?
Nick: Run! (LaCroix flies up to where Alyce is.)
LaCroix: Maybe this is a good way to find out just how much you want to be mortal. It's a simple choice, for goodness sake. Which do you want to save? The cup, or the girl? (Nick saves Alyce, as the cup falls.) Either way, I won. (The cup shatters.)

LaCroix: You want mortality, I'll give you mortality. With fire. A stake through the heart. The sun. All these will do it, my friend. And one more...decapitation!

Nick: I want to go back.
LaCroix: It's much to late for that now.
Nick: You've made me a murderer.
LaCroix: I made you a god. I made you eternal. I made you my brother. You need never fear anything again.
Nick: I fear what is inside me now.
LaCroix: Man is a predator, Nicholas, and we are the ultimate. You will live longer than in your wildest dreams. You will see life begin, and end, and begin anew. I taught Nero the tune, and together we watched Rome burn. I rode with Charlemagne, and taught Genghis Khan the lessons of war. All of these opportunities I have given you. A life never threatened by age or disease. You are a blessed man, Nicholas. The Crusades you have endured will be but as a heartbeat in your lifetime.
Nick: I shall repay you. (Kisses LaCroix' ring.)

Schanke: I don't know why nobody's listening to me? We all know that Knight's a hot shot, but.... He's got no experience. Sure, he looks good in leather, he's got the blonde hair and everything. Between you, me and the lamp post, he's in the dark about a few things.

Schanke: Dispatch, this is 81 kilo. I think I'm going to tour around in Knight's Caddy for a while. Just let me know when he turns up, okay? Thanks.

Nick: (Getting out of the Caddy's trunk.) It's a little bit cramped...but you can't beat the rent.

Nick: Who told him he could drive my car?
Natalie: Stonetree. There was nothing I could do. Of course, Schanke was supposed to bring it back here.

Nick: Hey, look, I think my ride's leaving. I've got to go.
Natalie: Wait a minute, you sound weak. Can you eat something?
Nick: Are you crazy? Hospital food?

Schanke: Did you know that the 62 Caddy has more trunk space than any other car in the last thirty years?
Fenner: Yeah, how's the mileage?
Schanke: Hey, with a ride like that, who's counting?

Schanke: You know, there is a word for a woman like you, and it isn't nurse.

Schanke: Man, oh man, oh man, oh man. I feel sick.
Mechanic: Why don't you just shoot it and put it out of its misery?
Schanke: You can fix it, right? I mean, tell me you can fix it.
Mechanic: Fix it, are you crazy, man? This is a sculpture. People look at this, and say what the hell is this? 'Cause it sure don't look like no automobile. Look at that bumper.
Schanke: That's the Feriore I took out. I've never seen a grown man get so angry.
Mechanic: And that fender?
Schanke: Red truck.
Mechanic: Door?
Schanke: Lincoln town car.
Mechanic: Rear fender and bumper?
Schanke: It totally escapes my why somebody would leave a thirty foot cabin cruiser on a front lawn. You kno-
Mechanic: And look at that trunk, flat as a pancake. We're going to have to use a torch just to open it.
Schanke: Oh come on, I think you're exager-
Mechanic: (Takes a piece of wood? to it as Nick holds the trunk closed) See?
Schanke: Yeah, I see.
Mechanic: Look man, find me some Caddy in some junk yard, and then maybe I can do something. Otherwise, you've got two tons of scrap metal.
Schanke: Man, oh man, oh man. He is going to kill me. Or worse still, he's going to make me pay for it.
Nick: Schanke....
Schanke: I'm a dead man.
Nick: Schanke.
Schanke: Honest to God, Nick. I was only going to drive it to the station, but the hospital was on its way, and I, and I said why not- This kills me. This kills me more than it kills you.
Nick: The brakes failed.
Schanke: Absolutely. I was on that big hill on Deerborn Parkway, and I go to put on the brakes and nothing, nada, niente. So, I yank it over to the right, right? And, and try to jam it against the curb. But no, this baby just jumps right over the sidewalk. So, I yank it over to the left, and I almost hit this kid on a bike.
Nick: Is that when you hit the fire hydrant?
Schanke: Creamed it. Water all over the place, I'm slipping and sliding like Gretzky in a bad dream. Wait, wait, how'd you know about the fire hydrant?
Nick: The brake line's cut.
Schanke: You see, I had nothing to do with it. It was cut. By who?
Nick: By the guy we're looking for.
Nick: You were right, Schanke.
Schanke: I knew I was right.
Nick: The murder in the museum was a different killer.
Schanke: He was?
Nick: Type O and homeless They were the keys all along.
Schanke: I knew that.
Nick: I know.
Schanke: So, so you're not mad about the car?
Nick: I could kill you about the car. But I owe you an apology about the case.
Schanke: I accept it.
Nick: Good. (Nick walks by, and becomes suddenly weak.)
Schanke: Hey, are you OK? You look like death warmed over.
Nick: Yeah, I'm just a bit hungry.
Schanke: Hey, why don't I take you for a souvlaki? My treat.
Nick: Nah, I think I'll wait until I can sink my teeth into something.

Schanke: Is there something going on between you and her?
Nick: Dr. Hunter and I?
Schanke: No, no, no. I mean, Alyce and you.
Nick: You're the detective, what do you think?
Schanke: I think you are suppressing evidence.

(Nick spies a cart of blood, and turns away, leaning on another cart.)
Nurse: Are you all right?
Schanke: Oh, he's just hungry.
Nick: I'll be fine.

Alyce: The Ambulance will be here any minute.
Jeanie: No. No hospitals.
Alyce: You need help.
Jeanie: No, he'll be there.
Alyce: Who?
Jeanie: He works there.
Alyce: Who..who'll be there?

Nurse: Here. Don Fenner. He's a wonderful man.
Schanke: Yeah, Knight, he's just a regular guy. Come on.
Nick: Anything happen to him this year? Maybe something that could have pushed him over the edge?
Nurse: Well, he lost his mother.
Schanke: How?
Nurse: A car accident. Well, not really. See she lost a lot of blood. What killed her, I guess, was the hepatitis that she contracted through the transfusion.
Schanke: Ten-to-one she was type O.
Nurse: Well, what does that have to do with anything?
Nick: Type O's the universal donor, but can receive only type O blood.
Schanke: Wait, wait, wait, wait.... So, so if you knew that some of the blood used came from street people, maybe you'd blame them. Maybe you'd see to it that they couldn't ever donate again.

LaCroix: I believe he got what was coming to him. Now it's your turn.

Schanke: (To dispatch) Meet him at his warehouse. That's all I got. Then he flew out of here.

LaCroix: Steel spikes can't kill a vampire, Nick. Fire can. Isn't it about time you came out?
Nick: Stay here. He won't come through the flames.
Alyce: Nick?
Nick: When I get to the other side, try to make it to the stairs.
LaCroix: You look weak. When did you last feed? You need blood to fight, Nicholas. You need blood to live.
Alyce: Nick. Take me.
LaCroix: Yes, it's a wonderful offer. Take her. Make her one of us. Mortals die. Does it really matter how or when?

LaCroix: You really think you can beat me as a mortal?
Nick: Go to hell!
LaCroix: Not before you do. (Nick thrusts the burning wood forward, catching his face.) That hurt!

Nick: (Staking LaCroix with the flaming board) Damn you. Burn in hell. Vau au diable!

Nick: She wanted to live forever.
Natalie: So did you. It's very seductive isn't it? The idea of never dying.
Nick: Yeah. And never being able to be in love. Is that seductive? She had no idea. No, Alyce and LaCroix, they're the lucky ones.
Natalie: Oh come on, you don't mean that.
Nick: If you hadn't given me the transfusion-
Natalie: You would have starved to death. Or is that why you wanted to become mortal again, to die, or is it to live and love like a human being.
Nick: I was that close!
Natalie: Are there any more like it?
Nick: Ah, nobody really knows.
Nick: I guess I'll just have to keep looking.
Natalie: And eating.

Schanke: You really owe me on this one, Knight. Let's count up what I did...I uh, put together the hospital leads, the blood bank info, um what else did I do?
Nick: What about the car?
Schanke: Oh yeah, I remember, Knight. Do you realize you've got a pint of grade A Schanke running through you?
Nick: What? The transfusion? Nat, you didn't.
Natalie: Sorry, he was the only available donor.
Schanke: So I guess from now on you won't be able to walk past a souvlaki stand without feeling the urge. (All of them laugh) You know, there's one thing I don't get, Nat, though.
Natalie: What's that?
Schanke: Well, I understand this whole story about Jeanie that she's B negative, so the guy thinks he kills her, but he doesn't drain her blood. I got that. But, what about Fenner himself?
Natalie: What about him?
Schanke: Well, if he was they guy who was taking the blood...why was his body missing two pints when we found him?
Nick: Evaporation.
Schanke: Oh come on, no....
Natalie: Absolutely. The heat from the fire sucked up, as it were, the blood from his body.
Nick (To Nat): He'll buy it.
Schanke: Yeah. Yeah, I knew that. Yeah sure, right. Evaporation, makes perfect sense.
Schanke pulls out a cigarette and starts to light it.
Natalie: Fastest way to a coffin.
Nick: One of them anyway.
Schanke: You guys are starting to sound like my wife. I am trying to quit, all right. I am trying- Will you stop looking at me like that. You guys have no idea what it's like to live with an addiction. (Nick and Nat look to one another, leave, and Schanke starts after them) I'll make it up. I really will.

I never caught this before, but at the very end, Natalie takes the cigarette, and Nick makes him fork over the box...just something I noticed. ;)