UNREALITY TV

*****

Tawny: Tonight we pound a different beat with the men who see perhaps the darkest side of the city at night, the officers charged with bringing criminals to justice. Tonight we ride with Metro Homicide officers Nick Knight, and Don Schanke.
Schanke: Yup, it's a dark and.... dark and lonely jungle out there with lots of wild animals masquerading as human beings. Just ask Nick. (Camera goes to Nick, then back) When you're out there on the street alone, you're definitely up the river without an outboard you're...you're working without a net...you're bungee jumping without a cord...it's like, well it's like...what's it like, Nick?
Nick: It's like being alone in an alien world.
Schanke: You really think so?

Schanke: Hold onto your diapers, folks. We're going into the free-fire zone.

Nick: I was against this from the start. They're in the way. They should be on a lower profile case. This is our follow home killer.
Stonetree: I know what the case is.
Nick: Well then, you know it's dangerous.
Stonetree: Well, where do you want me put 'em? Traffic? You know, parking violations don't make good television.
Nick: They were in the line of fire.
Stonetree: Well, they were in Viet Nam, and the Persian Gulf, and the riots in Los Angeles. This is the Commissioner's idea. It's not my decision.

Stonetree: It's good public relations.
Nick: It's bad police work.

Schanke: They got our shooter on tape.
Tawny: Yeah, well it doesn't look like much right now, but once we run it through the board and do a little enhancing, our computer will give you a picture good enough for his high school yearbook.
Stonetree: Nick, I think you should take a look. I think your argument just crashed and burned.

Natalie: Well, we've got two entrance wounds and a big barn door at the back. There could still be some lead in there. Oh, you're okay with this, aren't you?
Tawny: Oh, yeah, no problem. I've seen a lot of gory things in my day.
Nick: Are you sure you're okay?
Tawny: Yeah.... I'm fine, I'm-I'm just a little woozy, that's all. Didn't have any dinner...tonight and- Oh God, I think I need some air. Bobby please...not now! (Heads for the hall)
Natalie: Do you want to get a shot of this? Now what I do is I open out the entrance wound...just a- (Bobby heads after Tawny)
Nick: They were in Viet Nam, they were in the Persian Gulf, and now they're in the bathroom.
Natalie: Well, the sight of blood does strange things to some people.
Nick: Tell me about it.

Sullivan: Good evenin' Doctor Knight. Ah.... General wants me to photograph as many of the dead as I can...for records.
Nick: They're no dead here, Sullivan. This man will make it.
Sullivan: You sure, doc? Maybe I should take his photograph anyway, seeing as I'm here I'm here. Fellows shot up like he is, usually don't make it.
Nick: He'll be fine.
Sullivan: Hey doc, ah, when you're done here, I'd like to see you over at my tent.
Nick: Something ailing you, Sullivan?
Sullivan: Yeah, as a matter of fact. I mean, I'm fine, but uh.... I've got some photographs I need you to look at. Something damn strange.

Nick: The camera was right there. I could have nailed him.
Natalie: The killer?
Nick: Yeah, but I couldn't let them see the vampire. Probably would have had it all on tape.
Natalie: Boy, sometimes being a vampire is a real disadvantage.
Nick: At least in these days of modern technology.

Schanke: Ain't technology wonderful?

Sullivan: Big skirmish down by the run last night. The whole field was on fire. There's plenty of light, so I start takin' pictures, just to see what would come out. I couldn't believe what I was seein'. I just kept switching plates in and out of the camera as fast as I could.
Nick: Who else has seen these?
Sullivan: Not a soul. I was the only one there by then. The rest of the outfit was way up ahead. What the hell is it, doc? An angel?
Nick: Yes. The angel of death.

LaCroix: This one's fading fast. He won't see another sunrise, poor soul. Shall we?
Nick: Get out of here.
LaCroix: It's been a long time, Nicholas. Let me see, when was it? The Crimean? War of 1812?
Nick: You follow carnage like a vulture.
LaCroix: Oh, I don't care for the conflict. It's very noisy, don't you agree? But I love the free food.
Nick: You're a sick man, LaCroix.
LaCroix: Then, physician, heal thyself.... Tell me that you abstain in the midst of this bounty.
Nick: I draw only what sustenance I need so that I can work. I do not prey on misery.
LaCroix: You warm my dead heart, Nicholas. The man with the camera, he photographed me, didn't he? All these marvelous new inventions, Nicholas. They're shrinking our domain. Endangering our secrets. Science may yet reveal us to the mortal world.
Nick: He does not know what he saw.
LaCroix: Nonetheless, he has evidence. He suspects. You know what that means.
Nick: No. No, they are not needed here. Go and tell them...I've taken care of it.
LaCroix: Have you? Will you? You never could hide your thoughts from me, Nicholas. I'm afraid I was a poor teacher in that area. Or maybe...yes...we skipped those lessons, didn't we? The photographer.... You know the code in these matters. Handle it, Nicholas, because if you won't, the Enforcers will.

Tawny: (Entering Nick's loft) You sure this is okay?
Nick: At the slightest problem, I'll just tell him it was my idea, even though it was your idea.

Nick: So. What brings all of you down here so early in the day?
Schanke: Nick.... It's called video verite, Nick. I hope you don't mind. Listen, I know I wasn't supposed to use the door code except under emergency, but we wanted to capture the man behind the uniform, or in this case, out of the uniform. We wanted to capture the reality of the man. Not just the cop on the beat.
Nick: A verite phone call would have been nice.

Bobby: It's kinda dark in here.
Nick: Don't touch the blinds.

Tawny: Cop with a disability.
Nick: A small one.
Tawny: Might be a good angle. So...are you feeling a little sore today?
Nick: Sore? No, a little angry, maybe embarrassed.
Tawny: No, no, I mean physically.
Nick: Why do you ask?
Tawny: Well, I went over the tapes last night, and from what I saw, I could swear you took a hit.
Nick: Well, I look like I'm in one piece now.

Schanke: Nick, Eccentric? You mean the skin condition thing?
Tawny: That, Yes.
Schanke: You mean the only ever working night shift thing? You mean the fact that he has no family and shies away from social functions, like bowling and other stuff with the cops? Still hasn't bought me one meal? Never seems to eat himself, not even doughnuts? Eccentric? Nah....
Tawny: Right. Has he ever been shot in the line of duty?
Schanke: Well, not on this force no, but uh, he never really talked about, he never really brings up the past. Knight isn't what you might call a sharer.

Tawny: Look, I don't understand it, he-he wasn't even in the line of fire.
Schanke: Ricochet, Tawny.
Nick: Anybody who's around a gun when it goes off is in the line of fire. I told you it was dangerous. We need to talk.
Schanke: All right. Now for the fun part--paperwork! Come on, Tawny.

Stonetree: You okay, Nick? You look uh, distracted or something.
Nick: Nah, nah.... No, I'm fine.

Nick: *You must destroy these pictures. You must forget what you've seen.*
Sullivan: Forget, what I.... No, I can't. I have proof.
Nick: *Destroy the photographs.*
Sullivan: I must destroy.... What are you, crazy? I can't. These might be the single most important photographs I ever took. What do you think the papers up north would pay if they saw these?
Nick: *Sullivan, trust me, listen to me. This is for your own good. Destroy the plates, and leave this camp.*
Sullivan: I must destroy...must leave....
Nick: *Forget what you saw.*
Sullivan: There's a man there flyin', how am I supposed to forget that? I didn't do no tricks with the camera, doc. There's something real in these pictures, and it might still be around here, so I aim to find out what it is. And I don't know why you're tryin' to hard to convince me otherwise.

Tawny: I stopped by the hospital to see Bobby.
Nick: How is he?
Tawny: He's, uh, a little slowed down.
Nick: A bullet will do that.
Tawny: To most people.
Nick: Look, I don't know what you think you saw, but-
Tawny: Saw? I have it on tape, detective. Would you, um, take a look?
Nick: *You cannot show those tapes.*
Tawny: What in the name of God are you?
Nick: What I am isn't important, Tawny, listen to me.... *What you saw through that camera...it didn't happen....*
Tawny: Yeah, you tell that to my audience next week. Look, I know what I saw, and the camera doesn't lie.
Nick: The very existence of those tapes places you in grave danger.
Tawny: This is way too big to let go by.
Nick: *You must destroy those tapes. You must forget what you saw....*
Tawny: Forget.... You're doing something to me. You're doing something to my mind! You stay away from me! I don't know what you are, detective, but whatever you are, I have evidence that you exist. That you are real. And it is my responsibility as a journalist to show it to the world.

LaCroix: He has no part in this. The fault is mine. The code, Nicholas, I told you. The code.

Janette: You must fix it, Nicolas. They will not allow the code to be broken.
Nick: Well, I've tried to control her but she won't submit.
Janette: Of course she won't submit, she has photographic evidence, or worse, video tape.
Nick: Well, why does that matter?
Janette: Oh darling, where have you been? All right, it may be just a rumor, but even so, if you had hung around with your own kind more this past century, you would have heard it, too.
Nick: Okay, so tell me.
Janette: It's her proof. The existence of empirical evidence. As long as she has the tape, empirical evidence, it will be impossible to make her forget.
Nick: Evidence. The photographs, now the video tape.
Janette: Technology, huh? Why do mortals always seek to complicate the world? Before television and movies, people used to go to clubs and now.... So you must destroy the tape. It is your only hope, and certainly is her only hope.
Nick: And I can control her then?
Janette: Yes, then you will be able to make her forget. But, you must do it soon.
Nick: The Enforcers. The Enforcers will come.
Janette: They will enforce the code. Whatever it takes You know, Nicolas.
Nick: Yeah, I know.

Tawny: Look, there...you see that?
Nick: It looks like he's flying.

Tawny: You're going to think I'm crazy, but he was actually trying to hypnotize me or something...something to make me forget about it, I guess.

Danny: I don't know, Tawny. I'd be careful.
Tawny: You're my backup, Danny. That's why I'm showing you.
Danny: I feel like Jack Ruby or somebody. Like I know something I shouldn't.
Tawny: I appreciate it. Just keep it quiet, okay?
Danny: Oh, I'm not going to breathe a word to anybody. I want to keep my job, and my neck, a little longer.

Nick: Do what I say or they'll kill us both.
Tawny: Who are they and what do they want?
Nick: They are what I am. They are sworn to protect our secret. To keep the world from discovering the knowledge of our existence.
Tawny: They look like vampires or something. Omigod, that's what you are.
Nick: Come with me. Hurry.

Nick: The night technician! The guy's a vampire.
Tawny: Danny? He seems so nice.

Nick: Now listen to me. *You have to forget everything that you've seen.*
Tawny: How can I forget everything?
Nick: *Surrender your will to me. Submit! You have to forget.*
Tawny: I...I have to forget.
Nick: *Now sleep.* (As the Enforcers approach)It's done. It's over.

Tawny: You know, I was having the weirdest nightmare...someone was chasing me, trying to kill me.
Nick: Really? How's the show coming?
Tawny: Show? Oh, right, the show. Well, uh, I dunno...I kinda forget where I left off.
Nick: Good.
Tawny: Hmm?

Nick: Time to move on, Danny.

Bobby: Argh...Don, didn't I mention I'm in a lot of pain? What are you writing, your yearbook?

Schanke: Come on, Knight, you're going to miss my fifteen minutes of glory.